Two Roads, One Truth
by Tiffy
Summary: This is a unique story of what happened after Meteor. Not to give anything away, but it is a Cloud/Tifa fic. "The Truth of the Abyss" and "Frightened Past" are included.
1. Two Roads One Truth

Two Roads, one Truth  
By: ~*Tiffy*~  
  
  
  
The night sky was brilliantly illuminated by the rising moon. The crisp air bit at the young girl's exposing flesh while she leaned on a small pole. Tifa Lockheart had just experienced an adventure that would change her entire life. That didn't bother her though as long as she had her best friend along with her. She knew Cloud Strife ever since she was a child and has become very close ever since.  
  
Tifa gave a sad sigh as she thought about him. What she would give to have that man in her life would be to give her very own life. She loved him with all her heart, and just wanted him to feel the same way, but she knew why he didn't. Aeris. That name felt like a burden to her. Tifa knew Cloud loved Aeris, and Aeris loved him too. 'Somehow Aeris, you can still ruin my life even when you're dead,' she thought solemnly to herself.  
  
A tear rolled gently down her cheek knowing the only one that she loved would never love her back, at least in the way that she wanted. She felt more tears building up but she held them back. Her knees started to weaken from beneath her. Then she collapsed. Tears poured out of her eyes as she whimpered softly to herself. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she whispered her love's name into the air as if expecting to get a response.  
***  
"Hey guys, where's Tifa?" a young blonde hared man asked his friends.   
  
"I haven't seen her," replied a black man with large muscles and a torn shirt. "You know, speaking of Tifa, I think she really likes you."  
  
Barret was sitting next to Cid with Red XIII lying on the floor next to them all. They were all hanging out at Tifa's new bar in Kalm.  
  
"Yeah, but she knows I love Aeris," Cloud said as he sat down with the rest of them.  
  
"Does she now?" Cid asked him concernly. "I don't think so Cloud."  
  
"Well, I want to find her anyways. I know she's the one I can really talk to about this kind of stuff."  
  
"I saw her sitting outside under the moon," Red XIII spoke out of nowhere.  
  
"Thanks Red. I'll see ya guys later. After tonight, I'm heading to Costa Del Sol." Cloud waved to his buddies and walked out the door.   
***  
Tifa sat with her head buried in her knees. Her tears had stop, but it still didn't fill her empty heart. She lifted her head up and looked at the moon, lighting up the sky.  
  
"It's beautiful, isn't it."  
  
Tifa's heart skipped a few beats. "Cloud? What are you doing here?" Tifa questioned as she tried to wipe away the evidence of her crying.   
  
"Tifa?" Cloud asked sincerely. "Have you been crying?"  
  
"Me? Crying?" Tifa tried to lie. "No Cloud..."  
  
"Tifa..." His caring voice made her melt. 'Cloud, why do you do this to me?' she thought to herself.   
  
"Tifa, please tell me what's wrong."  
  
'Tifa! Get a hold of yourself! This is Cloud, your best friend! You can tell him!' Tifa got her composure up. "Nothings wrong Cloud..." her voice seemed to trail off into the ever-growing darkness.   
  
"Tifa, I know there's something wrong. Ever since Aeris came..."  
  
"Aeris." she said out loud. 'That name curses me...' Tifa stared off into the darkness for several seconds.  
  
"Tifa?" Cloud asked again. "Please tell me what's wrong."  
  
"Nothing's wrong Cloud. I guess I'm just...missing my parents," Tifa attempted to lie but apparently it had worked. Cloud nodded his head in understanding. He leaned back on his elbows and looked up at the stars.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you would be." Cloud let out a sigh and smiled. "There's only one person I really miss."  
  
"Really, who?" Tifa asked even though she already knew the dreadful answer.  
  
"Aeris..."  
  
The name hit her like a thousand knives.   
  
"You know Tifa, I think I really love her." That was it. She couldn't take the pain any more.   
"I think she loved you too, Cloud," she lied. She forced a smile for him. "I think I'm going to get to bed. Good night...Cloud."  
  
"Good night Tifa." Cloud smiled back at her. He watched her get up and leave into the night. Tifa hadn't even walked 100 feet before the tears poured out again.  
  
"He really does love Aeris..." she said under her breath before she ran off. The grass beneath her feet made no sound as she walked past the window where Barret, Cid, and Red were. The stables weren't too far away from her new 7th's Heaven. Tifa creaked open the stable door and peeked in. All the chocobos were sleeping soundly in a dreamless sleep.  
  
"Lance," she called out quietly. At the sound of his name, the black chocobo looked up to see the intruder. He gave a quiet wark and rustled around in his stall.  
  
"Hey boy," Tifa said calmly as she headed back to the third stall. Lance started to shuffle his feet as he saw Tifa get closer. "Hold it baby," Tifa cried to him. The more she thought about Cloud, the more she wept. "Cloud..." she whispered as she opened the gate to Lance's stall.   
  
The black chocobo burst out and Tifa barely had a chance to grab a hold of him and jump on. Lance guided himself out of the stable as Tifa held on tightly. She pressed her legs together so the chocobo would move more quickly. In less than a few minutes, they were already on top of a hill heading for the coast.  
  
Tifa pulled back on the feather on the back of Lances neck to make him stop. Lance squawked out of irritation for stopping. "Cloud...I just want to know...why?"  
***  
  
'I remember that day clearly,' Tifa thought to herself. 'Things have definitely changed a lot since then.'  
  
"Tifa?! What the hell are you doing still up?!" an angry voice from upstairs yelled.  
  
"I...I...couldn't sleep, Johnny."  
  
"Damn it Tifa!" She knew what was coming next   
  
"Johnny, I'm sorry!" she screamed back. Over the past 4 years she had lost a lot of strength. Mostly because she hadn't had to use it ever since she had her child. The child didn't have much to do with it though; it was the constant beating from Johnny. The bruises from him lined her body.   
  
  
"Mommy," a small child cried out sleepily.   
  
"Zell, honey," Tifa called out to him and opened her arms for him. Zell ran into her arms, as he felt safe under his mother's protection. "Oh, what's the matter?"  
  
"I heard lots of yelling," Zell started crying on his mother shoulder.   
  
"Shhhh...It's okay," Tifa picked her son up and hid her tears from her furious husband.   
  
"I'm leaving!" Johnny shouted loudly. "I'm going to the bar and I'll be back! Don't you dare try to leave either." He grabbed a chair that was sitting next to the door and threw it at Tifa. She turned her back to protect her son from the flying object. The chair smacked her in her back and made her fall to the ground. Tifa stayed silent as she lay on the floor. Johnny looked at her disgusted and walked out the door.   
  
"Mommy!" Zell cried out as he ran over to her.   
  
"I'm okay honey," she said as she sat back up. "Come on, let's get out of here."  
Tifa lifted her son up again and headed up the stairs into her room. She set Zell down on the bed and she headed over to her drawer. She pulled the drawer open gently and moved her clothes out of the way. Underneath, was a picture of the whole gang, her combat gloves, and her PHS. She slid her gloves on and picked up the PHS. She dialed a number for Barret. After about 7 rings he finally picked up the phone.  
  
"Yuffie! If this is your idea of a joke...."  
  
"Barret... I need your help," Tifa cut him off.  
  
"Tifa?!" Barret exclaimed shocked. "Tifa, what's the matter? I haven't heard from you ever since that night you ran off."  
  
"Heh, you're going to be in shock then. But, we can catch up later. Right now I need you to get Cid over here. I need a place to stay."  
  
"Okay, where are you?"  
  
"I'm in Kalm. Just get over here, I need your help," Tifa said impatiently.  
  
"Yes, yes. I'll get a hold of Cid, and maybe Cloud too."  
  
"Thank you Barret. You don't know how much I appreciate this."  
  
"Hey, dun' worry about it."  
  
Tifa turned off the PHS and looked at Zell. She smiled at him sitting there kicking his legs back and forth.   
  
"Come on Zell," Tifa said soothingly. "Let's go get some of your stuff together."  
  
"Okay! Can I bring my Mog animal?" he asked politely.  
  
"Of course you can. I wouldn't want you to leave your favorite toy." Tifa smiled at him as he ran to his room. 'Please hurry Cid.'  
***  
  
"Come on Zell," Tifa called up to him as she sat on the couch.   
  
"Coming Mommy!" He ran down the stair with a bag full of toys. Tifa giggled as she watched him try to pull the bag.   
  
"Here let me help you," she took the bag with her hand and lifted Zell up with her other. "We're going to go wait outside for them."  
  
As she reached for the door handle, the door flew open and there stood a dark figure.  
  
"Now, where the fucking hell do you think your going?!" Johnny yelled as he stomped in the house.  
  
"Johnny...you're home," she said quietly.  
  
"Yes, I am! Now bitch, die..." Johnny held up a gun to his wife's forehead.   
  
"Johnny?!" she exclaimed as she looked at the gun pointed directly between her eyes. "Johnny...don't..." she pleaded as she closed her eyes.   
  
"Johnny! Stop, right now," a very familiar voice ordered. Tifa knew that voice. "Cloud?" she squealed.  
  
"Well, well, if it isn't the shrimp," Johnny teased as he dropped the gun. He turned around to face Cloud with his hands up in the air. He jumped back quickly when he saw a 7-foot blade at his throat. "Hey, hey, I was just playing," Johnny lied as he pleaded for his life.  
  
"Come on Tifa," Cloud said sternly as he made sure to keep Johnny at bay. Tifa ran quickly out the door with Zell still in her arms. "If I hear you ever hurting people like that again, I'll hunt you down like the dog you are."  
  
Cloud turned his back and headed outside where Tifa and Zell were waiting.   
  
"Are you okay Tifa?" he asked concernly.  
  
"Don't worry about me Cloud, I'm fine, now anyways," she said and smiled at him.  
  
"Tifa!" Barret and Cid yelled out at the same time. "Are you all right?" Cid asked as he looked at her.  
  
"Holy shit?! Who's kid is that?!" Barret asked as he noticed Zell in her arms. Tifa laughed softly at Barret.  
  
"It's mine Barret."  
  
"What?! You can't have kids! You're too young."  
  
"I'm sorry Barret," Tifa apologized even though she knew it was meant more as a joke. "Anyways, can you take him to the airship?"  
  
"Sure can," Barret said eagerly. Tifa set Zell down on the ground.  
  
"Zell, this is Barret and Cid. They're going to take you up in a big plane, okay? I'll be there in a few minutes and if they start being mean just bop them on the nose," Tifa told Zell and acted like she was taking his nose.  
  
"Thanks Barret. He shouldn't be any trouble. Just let him play with his toys and he'll be happy." Tifa handed Barret the bag of toys. Barret took Zell by the hand and started talking to him while Cid followed. Tifa watched the three go into the highwind and leave her and Cloud outside.  
  
"Tifa. You're not okay..." Cloud said plainly.  
  
"I'm fine..." Tifa assured him as she turned her back to him.   
  
"Tifa," Cloud put his hand on her shoulder but she quickly jerked away in pain.  
"Tifa?" He questioned and walked closer up to her. He pulled the collar of her shirt to the side so he could see her shoulder. "God, Tiff..." Cloud exclaimed as he looked at her bruised shoulder. "Why didn't you ever tell me he beat you?"  
  
"I....I....guess I was scared..." Tifa said quietly. "Ever since that night you told me that you loved Aeris...I..."  
  
"Tifa," Cloud cut off her sentence and wrapped his arms around her. Tifa flinched in pain and felt a few tears fall onto her cheeks. "How bad did he get you?" Cloud asked as he turned her to face him.  
  
"If I stayed there any longer, I would have too many bruises to hide."   
  
"I can't believe he did that to you," Cloud stated as he pulled up the sleeve on her shirt and looked at the bruises on her arms. "So, where do you plan on staying?" Tifa gritted her teeth together as he touched one of her scratches on her arm.  
  
"I don't know...but Barret said that I could stay with him until I can stand on my own."  
  
"Well, why don't you stay with me? I bought that big house at Costa Del Sol a while back and it's pretty lonely there," Cloud asked with a happy smile on his face.  
  
"Cloud...it's not that easy now. I've got a kid now. Ya know, I don't want him to start thinking that he's got a new father."  
  
"All right, Tifa," Cloud said disappointed. "I won't bug you about your motherly instincts."   
  
"Thank you...but, you know, I would really like to stay with you..." Tifa said with a smile on her face. Cloud smiled back and took her hand in his.   
  
"Come on we better head to the ship," Cloud recommended. "I'm betting your son is wondering where you are."  
  
"His names Zell." Tifa giggled as she started walking to the ship.  
  
"Zell..? That's a different name," Cloud said trying not to sound rude. Tifa just ignored his comment and started walking to the airship. Cloud followed her like a little lost puppy dog, but felt happy to be able to see her again.  
***  
  
Everybody stayed the night in the Highwind. Cid was sleeping on the steering wheel while Barret was leaned up against a wall. Tifa was also sleeping on a wall with Zell set in her lap. For some odd reason, Cloud wasn't able to get a wink of sleep. He decided to just watch the stars all night and wait for the sun to rise. By morning, Cloud was pretty tired, but still not able to get to sleep.  
  
"Cloud, you dumbass," Cid yawned as he opened his eyes. "You were up all night, weren't ya?"  
  
"Yeah," Cloud smiled as he looked over to Tifa. "Man, Tifa really got beat bad."  
  
"What?!" Cid exclaimed a little too loudly. Cloud jumped at his outburst and quickly gave him a motion to quiet down.  
  
"Sorry," Cid apologized and walked towards Cloud. "Now, what exactly do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, Johnny literally beat her. She's got bruises and cuts lining her body," Cloud had a worried look on his face as he glanced over to Tifa. "I just wish I knew earlier, I could have saved her a lot of pain."  
  
"Well, what's done is done. We're just lucky we go to her before Johnny killed her," Cid started saying but quickly changed the subject. "All right, we better get this boat movin'. I'll wake up the huge ass tub of lard if you can get sleeping beauty."  
  
Cloud chuckled quietly at Cid's description. He felt a yawn coming on as he stood up and stretched out his arms. 'She's so beautiful,' he thought to himself as he walked over to her sleeping body and child.  
  
"Tifa," Cloud shook her gently. "Tifa, you need to get up."  
  
"Johnny! No!" Tifa screamed as she sat up straight. "Oh God, I'm sorry Cloud." Tifa's face turned a bright shade of red as she looked at him.  
  
"Mommy?" Zell asked tiredly.  
  
"Shhh...It's okay honey. We're going away for a little bit," Tifa reassured her son.  
  
"Where we going?"  
  
Tifa smiled down at her son. "It's going to be a surprise, okay?"  
  
"Yay!" Zell jumped up excitedly. He started running around and accidentally ran right into Cloud. "Sowwy mister Cloud."  
  
"It's okay Zell. Hey, why don't you go see if Barret is up yet?"  
  
"Okay!" Zell exclaimed as he ran out of the pilot's room to go find Barret and Cid. Cloud laughed as he watched the little child run off.  
  
"Who would have ever thought the big mighty Cloud would be so good with kids?" Tifa commented as she relaxed against the wall. Cloud gave her a sly smile as he went to go sit down by her. "Anyways, how has life been in Costa Del Sol?"  
  
"Lonely. Barret is still helping to rebuild Corral after the train and meteor. Cid's with Shera in Rocket Town. Red's guarding Cosmo Canyon. Vincent is in Nibelheim, I'm guessing. You...were in Kalm. It's just been so lonely around my place. I'm glad I got to see you guys. Especially you...Tifa," Cloud paused for a second and lowered his voice a little. "I've been so worried about you. Ever since that day that you ran off and found Johnny. I never liked him and I knew he was going to do something bad to you. Tifa, when Barret called me last night, I had never been so scared in my entire life," Cloud suddenly stopped.  
  
"Cloud...I've missed you so much. I don't know, but I guess I've been scared to see you ever since that night I ran off."  
  
"Scared?" Cloud asked curiously. Tifa gave a sigh as she thought about the conversation that they were having. 'Well, I guess I've gotta spill my guts to you some time.'  
  
"Yes. I remember the exact words you said. I remember, you saying that you loved Aeris. I guess it was a good thing you told me the truth. It hurt, but at least it was the truth. Tifa turned her head away from Cloud to hide the one tear that had fallen. "It's still hard for me, but I understand your feelings towards Aeris." Tifa stood up quietly and walked over to the front of the Highwind. She placed her elbows on the guardrail in front of the giant window of the Highwind.   
  
'I never knew,' Cloud thought to himself and he followed behind her. "Tifa," he said quietly behind her but she didn't move or turn around to face him. Cloud gently placed his hand on her back, but even the slight touch of his hand was painful as she pulled away from his touch. Cloud took his hand away quickly and joined her on the guardrail.  
  
"Sorry about that," Cloud apologized. "I keep on forgetting what HE did to you."  
  
"It's okay. The bruises and scratches will go away in time. And, maybe even the memory of him."  
  
"I hope so. I really do hope so," Cloud looked at her with worried eyes.   
  
"Mommy!" Zell yelled as he came running to them. Tifa kneeled down and opened her arms to him. Zell laughed childishly as he ran into her arms.   
  
"Hey Zell!" she said happily as she picked him up and hugged him. "Did you go bug Barret and Cid?"  
  
"Uh huh!" Zell said proudly and nodded his head. Tifa laughed at her son.  
  
"You okay Tifa? I mean, after everything's that's happened," Cid asked worried.  
  
"Yeah, I'm all right Cid. And, thank you all for helping me."  
  
"Hey, no problem. But, the only thing you could have done was call earlier," Barret added as he walked into the conversation.  
  
"Tifa, now won't you plee-ase stay at my house?" Cloud pleaded.   
  
"All right Cloud, but once I start being a burden, you tell me to leave."  
  
"Tifa...you know I could never..."  
  
"Tell me!" Tifa said sternly.  
  
"Okay okay! I'll let ya know," Cloud backed away quickly.  
  
"All right! Let's get this show on the road!" Cid announced.  
***  
  
The trip to Costa Del Sol was long for the Highwind was running low on fuel and not to mention the super jets went out from the flight before. When they finally did reach Costa Del Sol, the sun was high in the sky warming the planet.  
  
"I'd like to thank you again Cloud," Tifa said as they walked into his house.  
  
"Hey don't worry about it. We've been friends forever it seems. And it hasn't stopped yet." Cloud gave her a charming smile that made her feel weak in the knees.   
'Cloud,' Tifa thought to herself. 'Please stop, your killing my soul with your charms that I know don't belong to me.'  
  
"All right Zell. We're going to be staying here for a little bit, okay?" Tifa asked her son.  
  
"We gotta stay wit' Cloud?" Zell asked curiously.  
  
"Yeah, for a little bit," Tifa put her hand on Zell's head and ruffled up his hair. "Come on, let's go see what room we're staying in."  
  
"You two can stay in my room. I'll sleep on the couch," Cloud offered.  
  
"You sure that's all right?" Tifa asked him with a not so sure tone.  
  
"It's fine Tifa," Cloud smiled at her.  
  
"Thank you Cloud, You've always been there to help me when I'm in a fix."  
***  
  
The rest of the day went by fairly quickly until the sun fell and the starts rose and looked upon the helpless earth. Zell was fast asleep dreaming in bed. Tifa, on the other hand was walking around not being able to sleep.   
  
The water from the ocean crashed gently against the sandy shore while the sea breeze rustled through Tifa's hair. 'This is nice,' Tifa thought as she sat down on the sand. 'For once, I don't have to worry about Johnny, ever.'  
  
Her train of thought was soon interrupted by a soft step in the sand. She jumped from the sudden intrusion and turned quickly to the unexpected visitor.  
  
"Sorry Tifa," Cloud said as he walked closer to her. "I didn't mean to scare you."  
  
"It's okay. So, what are you doing out here at this time of night?"  
  
"I was just about to ask you the same thing," Cloud smiled at her.   
  
"Well, I couldn't..."  
  
"Sleep. Same here," Cloud cut her off of her sentence. "The stars are really pretty tonight."   
  
"Yeah. I haven't seen them like this for awhile...a long while. Cloud, I can't thank you enough for letting me stay with you."  
  
"Hey, don't worry about it, okay?" Cloud said while glancing at her.  
  
"I know, but you've done so much for me...and I feel as if I haven't done anything in return," Tifa lowered her head and looked at the white sand.  
  
"Tifa..."Cloud put his hand gently on her chin and turned her face towards him. "Tifa...I...I...love you."  
  
"Cloud...but I thought you loved..." Tifa's eyes started filling to the brim with tears.  
  
"That's what I thought too but then it hit me one night. Aeris never liked me, she liked Zack. You even noticed me acting different. Tifa...I have this feeling for you that I have never felt before. I tried ignoring it at first, but then it just grew. The day I found out that you were getting married to Johnny, and having his child...I felt I could die."  
  
"Cloud..." Tifa whispered with tears streaming down her face. "I have been waiting my entire life to here you say those three words."  
  
Cloud felt a tear run down his face as he put his arms around her delicate body. Tifa shivered from the embrace but would not let go for any pain she felt.  
  
"Cloud...I love you," Tifa said with her head buried in his chest.  
  
"I love you too, Tifa," Cloud whispered back and put his head on hers.   
  
"Tifa," Cloud pulled away from the embrace and looked at her tear stricken face. "I wouldn't ask you this if I didn't me this. Tifa, I want you in my life forever. I want Zell in my life too. I'm asking you, Tifa Lockheart, will you marry me?"  
  
"Cloud..." Tifa was in shock. She didn't even notice that she hadn't said anything until she got a weird look from Cloud. "Yes..." she whispered. "Yes! Cloud I will!" she squealed happily. The rest of the night went on from there until they found themselves lying on the couch in the morning half-clothed.  
  
"Mom-my," Zell called out half-asleep as he walked into the living room. Tifa opened her eyes to see Cloud sound asleep beside her. She sighed happily and snuggled up closer to Cloud.  
  
"Go back to sleep Zell," she said as she closed her eyes again.   
  
"But Mommy, it's already like kazillion o'clock. I can't sleep anymore." Zell complained and walked towards them.  
  
"All right, all right. You win honey," Tifa turned over towards her son.  
  
"Mmm...Don't go," Cloud said in a drowsy tone. He tightened his grip around her to make sure she couldn't get up.   
  
"Cloud," she taunted in his ear. "Time to get up." A few minutes went by and Cloud still slept soundly with a tight grip on her. "Cloud..." She sighed out of frustration but didn't even bother to do anything. "Okay, stay in bed then." She gave him a small kiss on the cheek as she wriggled her way out of his arms.  
  
"Is he always up this early?" Cloud asked as he watched Tifa get up and put on a shirt. Cloud let out a huge yawn and attempted to sit up but ended up just flopping back down on the couch. Cloud gave a happy sigh and closed his eyes. "Life is good."  
***  
  
Two months passed and the three lived happily in their little beach house, except for one thing.  
  
"Tifa?" Cloud asked as he knocked on the bathroom door. "Are you all right?"  
  
"What's wrong with Mommy?" Zell asked as he tugged on Cloud's pant leg. Cloud kneeled down to the young child's height. "Mommy isn't feeling well. I think she has a real bad cold." Zell gasped and got real wide eyed.   
  
"I'm going to make Mommy a present and make her feel better." Cloud chuckled listening at how much this young boy loved his mom.   
  
"That's a good idea," Cloud said to Zell as he stood up. Zell ran off downstairs to and went into the kitchen to make Tifa something.  
  
"Tifa?" Cloud asked again. "Are you...?" Cloud was cut off when the door was unlocked and swung open.  
  
"I feel really sick..." Tifa groaned as she held her stomach.  
  
"I'm sorry babe," Cloud apologized and wrapped his arms around her. "Do you think you need to go see a doctor? This has been going on for the past two weeks now." Tifa just nodded her head as she laid it in Cloud's chest. Cloud took one of his hands and rubbed her back hoping to make her feel a little better. "We'll have to go see what Red's grandfather can do cuz' the only doctor was in Mideel."  
Tifa just moaned in pain and clenched onto the back of Cloud's shirt.   
  
"I'll go call Cid. He'll fly us there in no time." Cloud released her from their embrace and ran down the stairs to the phone.  
  
"Zell!" Cloud called out. "Zell!"  
  
"Wha-at?" Zell replied as he came out of the kitchen.   
  
"Cid is coming to pick us up. Get some of the things together that you would like to bring."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Cloud grabbed the phone and dialed the number quickly. The phone rang about two times before it was picked up.   
  
"Hello?" Cid greeted.  
  
"Cid?! Get your ass over here! We gotta go to Cosmo Canyon," Cloud explained quickly.  
  
"What?! Why?!"  
  
"Tifa is real sick. I gotta get her to Bugen Hagen," Cloud grew impatient and started tapping his foot.   
  
"Clo-ud," Tifa whined as she stumbled down the stairs.  
  
"Tifa!" Cloud exclaimed and rushed to her aid. "Just hurry, Cid!"   
***  
  
When Cid had finally come, they left immediately for Cosmo Canyon. Tifa's condition hadn't gotten any better from the long trip. By the time they reached Cosmo Canyon the sun was high in the sky but somehow, Cosmo Canyon always looked red like the sunset. They landed at the front gates of Cosmo Canyon on a small opening.  
  
"Sure glad I got this thing to land on this place," Cid said with a worried tone still in his voice.  
  
"Come on Tifa, we'd better hurry," Cloud ordered.  
  
"Hey, I'll be fine. Look, I'm already feeling better," Tifa lied obviously. She gave Cloud a  
fake grin but soon flinched from the sickening feeling.  
  
"Oh yeah. You look, one hundred percent better," Cid mocked behind her.  
  
"Shut up Cid," she said plainly as she followed Cloud out of the Highwind.  
  
The walk to the gate wasn't very far, but it was still far enough to encounter a griffin on the way.   
  
"Dammit!" Cloud exclaimed as he saw the griffin unfold its wings. "We're gonna hafta run Tifa!"  
  
"Don't you have your sword?" Tifa asked as she hid behind him.  
  
"No. I didn't think I was going to need it." Cloud looked around at his surrounding. There was a large rock to the right of them, which they could easily run to and then make it to the entrance of Cosmo Canyon.   
  
"Come on Tifa!" Cloud said leader like as he grabbed her by the arm and ran over to the rock. After reaching the rock, he kept running while Tifa tried to keep up.  
  
"Cloud! I can't keep this up!" Tifa complained as she started to lose her footing.  
  
"You gotta! It's just a little furth..." Cloud was cut off while Tifa stumbled to the ground. The griffin saw the two dart off and quickly lifted it's mass off the ground to pursuit them. Cloud watched the griffin fly quickly towards them.   
  
"Cloud, leave me here!" Tifa said as she tried getting up.  
  
"No way!" Cloud put her arm around his neck and heaved her up. "We've been in worst messes before!"  
  
"Not without our weapons though!" The griffin came to a fast stop in front of the gate to Cosmo Canyon. Its high pitch screech would deafen any man. Cloud placed Tifa back down on the ground and stood in front of her. He picked up a sharp rock off the ground and got ready for the impact of the griffin.  
  
"Come on you bastard," Cloud threatened. The griffin raised its hackles on its back as it leapt forward in attack. Tifa moved to the side quickly as she saw the griffin tackle Cloud to the ground.  
  
"Cloud!" she cried out as she saw the two wrestling on the ground.  
  
Cloud drove the small rock deep into the griffin's chest and made it pierce its heart. The griffin let its grasp go on Cloud as it fell over to the side of him. Cloud breathed heavily from the attack and stood up drearily.  
  
"You...dare to kill a griffin," the griffin said as it tried to stand up. Cloud jumped back in surprise as he watched it. "A brave one you are....but...you..are foolish."  
  
"Cloud?" Tifa said worried as she stood up.  
  
"Do you hear that?" Cloud asked as he still watched the griffin carefully.  
  
"No."  
  
"Say farewell to your loved...one. Hope...she is...as strong as....you," the griffin said with its final words and then laid still.  
  
"Cloud?" Tifa asked again.  
  
"It's nothing. Come on, let's go see what's wrong with you," Cloud said as he smiled to her for reassurance. He went over to her and placed his arm around her. She smiled back at him and they walked to the entrance of Cosmo Canyon.  
***  
  
"Cloud! Tifa! What are you guys doing here?" Red XIII asked as he bounded towards them.   
  
"Hey Red! We came to see your grandfather. Is that all right?" Cloud asked as he looked down at his cat friend.  
  
"Yeah, this way," Red turned around and started heading towards the stairs. "What do you need to see him for anyways?"   
  
"Oh, Tifa hasn't been feeling good at all. We were hoping that he would know why," Cloud explained as they walked towards the laboratory. Red nodded as he looked towards the entrance to his grandfather's laboratory.  
  
"Through that door," Red pointed his paw in the direction of the door.  
  
"Thank you Red," Cloud thanked him politely and lead the way for Tifa. He paused at the door and placed his hand on it gently.  
  
"Come in, come in," a calm voice called from the other side of the door. Cloud pushed the door open and peeked in. He glanced around and noticed Bugen Hagen lying on the sofa. Reassured from seeing Bugen Hagen, he walked in with Tifa trailing behind him.  
  
"So, haven't been feeling good, Tifa?" Bugen Hagen asked as he stood up. His back cracked loudly and he put on a face that only an old person can put on. "Oh! I'm getting old..." he murmured to himself.  
  
"Yeah, that's right," Tifa said quietly to him.  
  
"Hmmmm...and have you ever felt this kind of pain or sickness before?" he asked knowingly.  
  
"Well, yeah. Once.....before...." Tifa paused shortly as the answer hit her like a rock. "Oh God no! Not again!" she cried out loudly. She felt her knees become weak and collapsed on the floor.  
  
"Tifa!" Cloud exclaimed as he rushed to her aid. "What's the matter?"  
  
"She was just hit with the truth," Bugen Hagen chuckled.  
  
"What did I just miss?" Cloud looked at Bugen Hagen and then back to the dazed Tifa. Tifa snapped out of her daze and took in a deep breath.   
  
"Cloud...you're going to be a father," she stated calmly.  
  
"But...I thought....Zell was..."  
  
"I'M PREGNANT CLOUD!" she screamed out. She looked at Cloud with worried eyes as she saw the look on his face. Cloud sat motionless. Tifa gave a sigh of frustration and ran out of the room.   
  
"Tifa!" Cloud cried out after her. He looked back at Bugen Hagen with a smile. "Thank you."  
  
"Hey, no problem. But, right now I think you've got bigger things to worry about," Bugen Hagen replied and pointed towards the door. Cloud nodded and headed for the door.   
  
"Tifa!" he called out once again as he headed around the winding paths of Cosmo Canyon.  
  
An hour had passed and there was still no sign of Tifa. 'Tifa, where are you?' he wondered to himself. He searched all over Cosmo Canyon and she didn't seem to be anywhere. His heart started aching as thoughts about never seeing her again started flooding his mind.   
  
"Cloud!" a voice exclaimed.   
  
"Red!" Cloud called back as he turned towards him.  
  
"I saw Tifa! She was over by a cliff just north from here. She looked pretty sad."  
  
"Thanks!" Cloud said quickly and headed towards the destination.   
  
Tifa wept on her knees as she was curled up in a small ball.   
  
"Tifa," Cloud said softly in the air.   
  
"Cloud..." she whispered and turned to watch him walk to her. When he reached her, he sat down next to her in a similar position. "I'm scared..." she said practically to herself.  
  
"Scared? Why are you scared?" Cloud asked as he looked at her with questioned eyes.  
  
"I'm scared...about Johnny." Tifa watched the sun in the horizon as it started to set upon the mountains. Cloud didn't even try to comfort her with words. He simply embraced her in his arms and rocked her back and forth.  
  
"Tifa..." cloud didn't know what to say. His whole life had just changed in the past few months. It was even worst for Tifa though. Tifa didn't say anything and just buried her head into his shirt and wept quietly. "Shhh...it's okay. I'm going to be right here for you. I will never leave you, or harm you in any way. Tifa, I love you." Cloud confessed as he placed his head on hers. Tifa's tears starting coming out uncontrollably.   
  
"Cloud. I...love you too. I always had. My worst fear in the world was that...I would lose you," Tifa tightened her grip around him. "I'm just scared...that something bad is going to happen."  
  
"I know you didn't have a good experience in your last marriage but, I think I can change that," Cloud pulled her away gently so he could look into her amber eyes.   
  
"Thank you Cloud," Tifa smiled at him as she returned the look.  
  
"Well, come on, I bet there's somebody else looking for you," Cloud gave her a grin and stood up. Tifa still sat and watched him put out his hand. She reached for it and grasped it gently. Cloud pulled her to her feet. When she was finally up on her feet, Cloud wrapped his arm around her as they started to head back.   
  
"To think, having a son of my own blood," Cloud pondered as he looked down at Tifa with a smile.  
  
"Who says it's going to be boy," Tifa asked as she gave him a weird look. Cloud just shrugged and chuckled. Tifa joined in on his laughter. She placed her head on his shoulder and continued to walk with him back to the others.   
  
  
When they finally reached the entrance to Cosmo Canyon, the sun was almost fully set and the stars had started to pop out. As they walked in they started to notice familiar faces around the bon-fire.  
  
"Vincent?" Tifa asked as the two reached the flaming fire. Vincent turned towards them and smiled.  
  
"Barret?" Cloud asked as he noticed all of the gang sitting by the fire.  
  
"Yo," Barret greet and raised a hand.  
"Yuffie? Cait Sith? What are you all doing here?" Tifa asked as she sat down by the fire.  
  
  
"We heard you were having a tough time," Cait Sith chimed as he gave her a very unique smile. Tifa grinned sheepishly at him and then to Cloud. Cloud just shrugged his shoulders and gave her a confused look.   
  
"I mean, everything's that's happened about Johnny and all," Cait Sith added.   
  
"Oh! Right!" Tifa gave a fake laugh. "You don't know the half of it."  
  
"Well, anyways," Barret butted into the conversation. "We decided that we needed a little...family reunion. We're all going to Icicle Inn and what not like that! We're gonna travel around the world just like we did before."  
  
"That sounds like a great idea!" Tifa squealed excitedly.   
  
"But Tifa, what about...?" Cloud asked worried.  
  
"It's okay, I can still live a normal life," Tifa insisted.   
  
"But..."  
  
"Not right now Cloud," Tifa gave him a aggravated look. "Nobody need to know right now."  
  
Cloud nodded as the information went through his head. He gave a smile and thumbs up to the group about the traveling idea.  
  
"Mommy!" a child yelled out. Tifa smiled and opened her arms for him. He ran into her hard as she wrapped her arms around him. She lifted him up as she stood up.   
  
"Oh gosh you're getting heavy," she pointed out as she felt the weight of him weigh her down.  
  
"You're a mom?!" Yuffie shouted as she quickly jumped up.  
  
"Ya," Tifa replied calmly as Zell hugged her around the neck.  
  
"You may all stay here for the night," Red offered proudly. "For, I too, would like to join you on this little outing."  
  
The morning sun glistened brightly in the red canyons as the few streams fell over the cliffs. Almost the whole gang was up except for two still sleeping soundly on the soft bed with dreams still filling their heads.   
  
"Hey! Sleepy heads! Let's get this show on the road!" Cid barged into the room as he saw the two still sleeping soundly. "Clo-ud! Ti-fa!" Cid exclaimed as he opened the shades on the windows. Tifa was lying on her stomach snuggled up close to Cloud with an arm wrapped around him.  
  
"Yo! Lovebirds! Come on! I want to get to Icicle Inn before all the rooms are taken!" Cid yelled out as he headed back to the door. He gave a frustrated snort and slammed the door behind him as he left.   
  
Tifa's eyes fluttered open. She looked to her side where Cloud was still in his deep sleep.   
  
"Cloud," she said slightly above a whisper. "Come on Cloud, we need to go."  
  
"All right Tifa," Cloud said still asleep.  
  
"Clo-ud," Tifa complained and gave him a sad, disappointed look. She shook him gently in attempt to make him open his eyes. Cloud hid a grin on his face as he grabbed her around the waist. He pulled her over to him as he got on top of her and put the covers over them.  
  
"RAH!" he yelled as he made his hands into claws. Tifa laughed as she looked at him with a big smile.  
  
"Good morning," she greeted happily. Cloud gave her a small kiss on the lips.  
  
"It could be better."  
  
Tifa ran her finger along the outline of his face. "I'm sure it could be," she said smiling. In an instant, Cloud and Tifa both felt a weight pound down on them. Tifa shrieked shortly in surprise.  
  
"Good morning sweepy heads," Zell said happily. Cloud chuckled and relaxed on Tifa.  
  
"You guys...aren't that light...you know," Tifa said trying to breathe. Cloud sat up on his hands and knees and looked down at her with sorry eyes.  
  
"Sorry Tif," Cloud apologized.   
  
"Woah!" Zell tried to keep his balance as he felt Cloud rise beneath him. His attempts soon failed as he fell off of Cloud and onto the floor. Pain shot through his head as he started making a blood-curdling cry. Cloud quickly fell to the side of Tifa where there was enough bed for him as she got up to her child's aid.   
  
"Zell, baby," Tifa cooed as she comforted him with her arms around him. "You'll be okay Zell. Shhhh..." Tifa hugged him tightly and leaned her head against his. Zell's crying soon went to a soft sniffling and he started to wipe away his tears.  
  
"You okay now?" Tifa asked concernly. Zell nodded his head and hugged his mother tightly. Cloud yawned loudly and sat up on the side of the bed.   
  
"All right Zell, go downstairs and tell Cid that we'll be there in a minute." Tifa smiled as she put down her son and watched him run out of the room. She gave a sigh of relief and collapsed back on the bed.  
  
"Cloud, how did you ever pursued me into having another one?" she asked as she looked up to him  
  
"Well, if you really want to know..." Cloud gave an evil grin and chuckled.  
  
"Okay, okay," Tifa sat up quickly just to be pulled down again. "Clo-ud!" she complained as she kicked her feet wildly in the air.  
  
"I'm sorry Tifa," Cloud said sincerely. "You're just so cute when you're irritated." Tifa glared at him as she sat up and put on her pants.  
  
"Tifa...come on. I meant it as a joke," Cloud pleaded for forgiveness. Tifa ignored his apologies and threw him his white muscle shirt. She turned towards him and glared at him with an angry face. After a few seconds her face softened up as she looked at his sad, confused look.   
  
"Cloud? How am I ever supposed to stay mad at you?" Tifa asked while she walked over to him. Cloud watched her action with eager eyes. She sat down next to him and gave him a soft kiss.  
  
"Tifa, I think you're too stressed," Cloud said after their lips parted.  
  
"Why do you say that?"   
  
"I don't know, you just seem, not so relaxed..." Tifa gave him a curious look. "Come on, I'll carry you downstairs."  
  
"Carry me?" Tifa asked in a not so sure tone.  
  
"That's what I said," Cloud said proudly and stood up. He placed his shirt on quickly. Tifa just shrugged and stood up. She felt her legs come out from underneath her as she was lifted up by Cloud.   
***  
  
By the time they made it to the Icicle Inn, the sun was high in the sky. The gang probably would have made it quicker if it weren't for a few pit stops they had to make about every hour. Tifa might have known why she wasn't feeling well, but it still didn't make the nauseating feeling go away.  
  
"Hey, what was wrong with Tifa anyways?" Cid asked as they all headed towards the inn.  
  
"Oh, she had some rare type of stomach flu. It'll go away in a few days," Cloud lied between his teeth.   
  
"That's good," Cid didn't even seem to notice the obvious lying that Cloud had just done. The time at Icicle Inn was fun. They went snowboarding just about everyday and they also just hung out.   
  
On the last morning there though a loud scream came from the upstairs room.   
  
"Cloud! It's not fair!" Tifa cried out as she looked in the mirror.   
  
"Tifa!" Cloud out of breath as he reached the room. He tried stopping at the door, but instead skidded right past it. He collapsed on his butt, but soon jumped back on his feet and ran back to the door.   
  
"Tifa!" he called out once again as he peered into the door. "What's the matter?!"  
  
"I don't fit..." Tifa said like a disappointed child. She tugged her jeans out to try and make them fit over her slightly swelled abdomen.   
  
"Awww...my poor Tiffy," Cloud said in a caring voice as he walked over to her. When he reached her, he hugged her from behind and placed his hands on her stomach area. He rested his chin gently on her shoulder and smiled to her through the mirror.  
  
"You're still as beautiful as ever though," Cloud said with a charming voice. "You really are." He gave her a small kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Yo, turtle doves," a voice called from the door. Both Cloud and Tifa turned to see the person who had called.   
  
"Yeah, come on! We all want to go snowboarding for the last time," Barret said impatiently.  
  
"All right, we'll be there in a minute," Cloud said to him. He released Tifa and watched Barret walk out of the room.  
  
"Well, hopefully my snow clothes still fit," Tifa said hopefully.  
  
"You can't go snowboarding!" Cloud exclaimed.  
  
"Yes I can," Tifa said bluntly.  
  
"No...you can't."  
  
"Yes...I can."  
  
"No...you can't."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Tifa! You're pregnant! You can't go snowboarding!" Cloud bellowed in the small room. His thundering voice echoed all across the inn and even outside in the snowy hills. Silence fell over the two. The entire inn stood in shock from the news. Tifa stood dumbfounded for a few seconds as five heads peaked into the doorway of their room. Cloud placed his hand behind his back as he felt his face turn many bright shades of red.  
  
"What is this I hear?" Barret asked a little shocked.   
  
"Yeah, who's pregnant?" Cid added as he followed in behind Barret. Tifa glanced at Cloud as she searched her mind for an explanation. The only thing she could think of was give them a sheepish smile and shrug her arms.  
  
"Tifa?!" the five said in unison. There was another long pause as everybody stared at her with wondering eyes.  
  
"Hey! It's not my fault!" Tifa exclaimed.  
  
"Why didn't you ever tell us?" Cid asked with a big smile across his face.  
  
"You can't be havin' another one? You're still too young! You should enjoy being young before you get old like me," Barret advised.  
  
"Bawwet," Zell cried as he tugged on his pants. "What going on?"  
  
"Uh..." Barret looked at Tifa for help.  
  
"Oh, nothing's going on honey. Why don't you go play outside with your new sled that Cloud got you?" Tifa asked as she knelt down to his level.  
  
"Okay! Mommy? Will you come pway with me?"  
  
"Of course," she said with a smile. "I'll be out in a minute. Go wait for me." Tifa gave him a kiss on the forehead and the child soon bounced out of the room and outside.  
  
"Congratulations Tifa," Red said and gave her the best smile that he could.  
  
"Thank you Red," Tifa said kindly. "All right, I can't keep Zell waiting." Tifa grabbed her snow gear and slipped it on quickly. She gave Cloud a quick kiss on the cheek as she exited the room and headed outside to play with her son for the last time in the snow.  
***  
  
Two months had passed and the gang had gone from Kalm all the way to Wutai. They visited many of the towns and greeted many familiar faces that they had meet on their journey. Now, they were on their way back to Cosmo Canyon from an island north of Kalm.  
  
Sweat trickled down the side of Tifa's face as she lay curled up in the bed. Cloud put a cold, wet rag on her forehead as he watched her cringe in pain.   
  
"How's she doing?" Barret asked as he walked into the room.  
  
"No better," Cloud said with a sad tone in his voice. "I don't know what's wrong with her. She just all of a sudden started getting really sick. She won't eat...she won't drink, Barret, what's wrong with her?" Cloud asked as his throat clump up.  
  
"Hey, we're going back to Cosmo Canyon to see. I know, this isn't natural. She's running a very high fever," Barret looked down at Tifa lying in the bed. "Yuffie's watching over Zell right now, but we should be there in about an hour."  
  
Cloud nodded and looked back down at Tifa. "I'm so worried Barret..."  
  
"Hey, we know her. She'll make it through," Barret said confidently. Cloud just shook his head.   
  
"You've seen what she's been through. Many over her wounds from Johnny still aren't even healed."   
  
"Well, don't give up on her yet. She's strong Cloud. She's even stronger with you by her side," Barret gave him a short lecture and walked out of the room.  
  
"Cloud..." Tifa groaned. "Cloud...it's really warm in here."  
  
"Sshhh... just relax Tifa. I'll get it cooled off for you," Cloud had a worried tone in his voice as he went and opened the window in the highwind a little more. He dipped the damp rag in the cold water and placed it back on her forehead.  
  
They reached Cosmo Canyon a little after dark. Cloud ran quickly into the small town and went to Bugen Hagen's laboratory.   
  
"Bugen Hagen!" he yelled as he searched for him.  
  
"I'm right here Cloud," he said calmly as he appeared behind him.  
  
"Thank God. Come on, you need to see Tifa. She's doing awful."  
  
"Hold up a second," Bugen Hagen said trying to figure out what was going on.   
  
"Tifa, she's really sick. She's got a real bad fever and she hasn't eaten for the past 2 weeks," Cloud said with fear in his voice. Bugen Hagen nodded his head and followed Cloud into the Highwind.  
  
Cloud and the others were left to wait in the bridge while Bugen Hagen examined Tifa. Cloud paced back and forth as he waited.  
  
"Cool it Cloud," Cid ordered. "You're starting to make me dizzy." Cloud didn't say anything and just sat down against the wall. Twenty minutes passed and there was no sign of anything.   
  
"I'm sure everything is going to be all..." Barret was quickly interrupted when a figure stood at the entrance of the bridge.  
  
"Cloud, I need to talk to you, alone," Bugen Hagen insisted. Cloud nodded and followed Bugen Hagen into another room.  
  
"Cloud, sit down." Cloud did as he was told and expected the worst. "Well, the good news is that it isn't any kind of poison or flu."  
  
"Then what's the bad news?" Cloud asked worried.  
  
"Well, she has mako poisoning." Cloud felt as if his world just collapsed from beneath him.   
  
"But...how?"   
  
"Well, you have been exposed to mako, and have been poisoned by it also. You still have mako in your body and system and well, your child got the mako. Now, you do the math on how she got it." Cloud sat with a scared face on. He barely lived through the poisoning and now the one he loved dearly had it.   
  
"Can...can she ever get rid of it?" Cloud asked with a hopeful voice.  
  
"Yes. The last four months of her pregnancy will be very painful. If she has a strong will and heart she will make it through. She's going to need a lot of your help Cloud. She will be lucky if she can get up and move. You'll have to force feed her because she may not seem hungry or thirsty but she needs the energy. Cloud...this is when you are going to have to show that you really love her." Cloud nodded his head thought about everything in his head. He got up and headed down into the room where she laid.  
  
"Tifa," he whispered as he went into the room. "I will keep my promise after all."  
  
Another two agonizing months passed for Tifa. It was mid-December and Christmas was coming up fast. Tifa was able to sit up in bed and feed herself, but anything beyond that became a chore. Cloud sat in bed with her one day as they both watched the snow fly outside.   
  
"Me and Zell set up a Christmas tree," Cloud said and chuckled at how hard it was for the two to do. Tifa smiled at him as she placed the warm soup that Cloud had made for her in her mouth. "Christmas will be in a few days. I think 6 to be exact." Cloud said in a happy voice.  
  
"This will be our first Christmas together," Tifa said quietly.   
  
"Ya, and it will be my best Christmas ever," Cloud said softly and stroked Tifa's hair. Tifa nodded and sighed happily. As much pain as she was in, she was the happiest that she's ever been for a long time.  
  
"All right, I'd better go see what kind of trouble Zell's getting into," Cloud said as he sat up. "I'll be back up in about an hour, OK? Just leave your dish there and I'll get it." Cloud exited the room and walked quietly down the hall to find out where Zell had disappeared off to.   
  
The six days passed by quickly and many presents were accumulating under the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree was placed on the bridge of the highwind for that's where it seemed everybody always was. They all felt no point of returning home right now, mostly because they all wanted to spend one Christmas together. They all agreed that they would spend Christmas Eve together and then go there separate ways for Christmas.  
  
When Christmas Eve came along, the highwind was a busy place. Everybody was running around everywhere trying to get things set up. Yuffie was busy cooking a dinner for them all while Barret and Cid were trying to do last minute shopping. Red put up some last decorations around the place while Cloud and Zell keep Tifa company.  
  
"Cloud, go to the party without me," Tifa insisted.  
  
"No, Tifa," Cloud said sternly.  
  
"Yes, I'll just go to sleep because I'm really tired anyways." It was about 5:00 p.m. and Cloud was attempting to get Tifa to go to the party also.   
  
"Cloud, I'm a whale right now. A beached whale to be in fact. It's hard for me to move around. Don't worry, have a great time, okay?" Tifa kept on pushing him to go. Finally, Cloud had to give up and join everybody downstairs at the party. Zell followed him like a little puppy as they went to the table that was set for them all.  
  
"Hey Cloud!" Barret greeted as he saw his friend come down. "Where's the Tiffers?"  
  
"She said to go ahead without her..." Cloud said solemnly. Cid nodded his head and sat down at the table.   
  
"Well," Cid started. "We might as well do what the lady says." With that everybody started piling food on their plates and started eating their dinner. Cloud tried to eat but ended up playing with most of his food.   
  
By the time it came to opening the presents, Cloud sat down by Zell and watched Barret hand out the presents to everybody.  
  
"And...here's another one to Zell," Barret said as he passed Zell a huge box. "God Cloud, that kid is spoiled." Cloud chuckled and watched Zell open his present. Inside was a small, red tricycle. The expression on Zell's face was priceless.  
  
"I wish Tifa could have seen that," Cloud said as he watched Zell start jumping up and down.  
  
"Well guess what," a small voice from behind said. "I didn't miss anything."  
  
"Tifa!" Cloud exclaimed as he jumped up to see her. "You're walking! You're up!"  
  
"Yeah, I figured this only comes around once a year so I figured I would spend it with my family," Tifa smiled, but pain also filled her face as she tried to keep standing. Cloud quickly rushed to her aid and helped her take a seat by the tree.  
  
Tifa laughed as she looked at herself. "I'm a beached whale!" Everybody joined in and laughed with her. Cloud cleared his throat loudly in attempt to get everybody's attention.  
  
"All right, last time I did this, it was rather informal. So I'm going to do it again," Cloud walked up to the tree and picked out a small box from the tree. It was a small velvet red box with a gold trimming. He took the box and handed it to Tifa.  
  
"Huh?" Tifa asked as she gently took the box from him. She opened it up and a soft tune started to play. The tune was (as the game calls it Tifa's theme) a sweet melody that could easily make you fall asleep.   
  
"Cloud?" Tifa asked as she looked at the small, diamond-studded ring inside being cushioned by a white pillow of fabric. Cloud got down on one knee and took her hand gently in his.  
  
"Miss Tifa Lockheart," he said as calm as the ocean waves hit the beach on a lonely night. "Will you marry me?"  
  
"Cloud..." Tifa sat shocked. She looked at the ring and then to Cloud. A smile spread across her face as looked him in the eyes. "Yes, I will," she said with the happiest voice. She threw her arms around Cloud as she heard everybody around her start applauding.  
  
"What's goin' on?" Zell asked Barret.   
  
"Don't worry about it right now kid. You'll understand one day," Barret had a smile across his face as he continued clapping.   
  
Tears started rolling down Tifa's face as she now knew that she would be happy for the rest of her life and for eternity.  
  
  
Epilogue  
Tifa gave birth to a healthy baby girl and got married that next summer to Cloud. Cid returned back to Rocket Town and popped the question to Shera. Barret finally was done helping rebuild Coral and Marlene went to one of the best schools. Vincent went back into hiding. Yuffie continued to steal materia. Reeve deactivated Cait Sith knowing that next time he was going to meet the gang in person. Red XIII went back to protect Cosmo Canyon.  
  
Now, this definitely isn't the end of our story. More will be coming, once I think of how to write it, but I hope you did enjoy this. ( I don't remember if Bugen Hagen died or not, but if he did, then he didn't in this story!!)  
  
Author's Note: All right, I don't own any of these characters...they are all of Squaresofts. OK? So, please don't sue me or anything because I'm not trying to get money off of it, I'm just trying to enjoy my free time. Yadda yadda yadda yadda...  
  



	2. The Abyss of Truth

Tifa Lockheart leaned up against the cold wall taking her chance to rest graciously. She held her small baby close to her chest trying to calm down her own breathing. Cloud Strife stood in front of her peering around the wall for a chance to get by the Shinra guards that now surrounded their house. Zell was hiding behind Cloud's legs waiting for when they were going to make their chance to run to shelter.   
  
A beam of light flashed on the ground next to them before retreating back over to the front of the house. The soldier went along its way searching more for the convicts. This was all there was to Tifa's life these days. She always thought her life was bad with Johnny, but now Shinra all of a sudden decided that they wanted to go destroy the saviors of their world. Some Shinra SOLDIERS had already found Vincent Valentine and he was put into jail immediately. No one had heard from Yuffie Kisargi for such a long time that they figured Shinra already picked her up.   
  
All that was left now was Barret Wallace, Cid Highwind, Nanaki, Cloud, and Tifa. They all were being treated like fugitives now for reasons they didn't even know. Every once and a while Cloud heard rumors that they were being hunted because of the fact of what had happened to Midgar. Others were because they were the real reason for Meteor. Whatever the reason was for, Shinra was not going to stop until they were either locked up or dead.   
  
With Shinra constantly at their heals, Cloud and Tifa's lives had become a living hell. Running everyday for their lives was the only possibility. The chances of them surviving this search were likely for the soldiers were obviously not very much into their work that night.   
  
'SOLDIERS are getting weak,' Cloud thought as he watched another guard pass by. 'Most of them look as if they're about to fall asleep on the job. If only the president knew about this.' He eyed the last soldier carefully as it lazily picked up its feet following the person in front of him. His gun was drooping in his arm and his flashlight was barely hitting the ground.   
  
Cloud stepped out from behind his security wall and tiptoed over to another house into the back alley. Zell ran behind him practically hugging his legs the whole way. Tifa was the last to make it through but luckily for her she was wearing a large cloak making her harder to see in the dark.   
  
Tifa's motion stopped quickly when she saw a light flicker back over to her. She stopped dead in her tracks like a frightened deer in the darkness of night with a headlight beating down on it. Her heart was beating too fast to count, but it felt like it was about to explode out of her chest.   
  
"What do you have there?" one of the SOLDIERS asked as he walked over to her. His voice was one of a young man but it sounded weary at the same time. Tifa hadn't noticed anything about it for her fear had taken over her entire body. She felt her knees hit together as she tried to shake her fear off.   
  
The SOLDIER didn't even bother to look under the hood she wore before taking the infant from her. Tifa's hands automatically reached out to try and grab her child back but the SOLDIER quickly knocked her down to the knees. The blow in her head made her feel dizzy as she tried to regain her balance on her hands and knees.   
  
"Do you have a license ma'am?" the SOLDIER asked while looking down at the child.  
  
"A license?" Tifa asked perplexed. 'When did you EVER need a license to have a child?' she wondered to herself.   
  
"I'm sorry. No license, no kid." The SOLDIER walked few feet away with her child. Tifa watched him as he laid her child on the ground and reached for his gun. The Soldier's action was to quick for her to do anything about it before it was too late. Her child lay still on the ground motionless with only a small pool of blood where it seemed to have drowned it in.   
  
Shock overcame Tifa as she watched the SOLDIER walk off with the rest of its crew. The hot tears that filled her eyes and the anger that now dwelled inside her was enough to even make the strongest man fall to their knees in fear. She stood up from her placement on the ground and was about to sprint over to the SOLDIER before she felt an arm go around her waist.   
  
"There's nothing we can do Tifa. There's nothing we can do," Cloud's voice was cracking as he wrapped his arms around Tifa. No words could describe the couple's feeling at the moment. Their child was gone, and so were their lives.   
  
************************************************************************  
  
Tifa sat in a rocking chair caressing Zell in her arms. Cloud constantly paced around the room contemplating their new situation. Cid had come into the room telling them more terrible news.   
  
"There was nothing we could do for Red," Cid started to explain. "He was trying to protect Cosmo Canyon. Last I heard they totally tore it down. Nothing is f*cking left. They went and blasted every last f*cking mountain!" Cid slammed his fist into a table as he thought about his good friend.   
  
Barret stood in the corner of the room tapping his foot in irritation. A few weeks earlier Marlene had been taken away from him and put into a foster home.   
  
"God damn Shinra. They're hunting us down and they aren't going to stop until we give up," Barret said bitterly. "They're going to tear down every f*cking town until they got us."  
  
The words shot through Tifa like a gun in her head. There was absolutely nothing that they could do except run. But even that wasn't going to work. Innocent lives were being killed because of them now.   
  
"What can we do?" Cloud asked as he walked over to a window. He stared off into the abyss of the night pondering the situation carefully. He had no more tears to shed anymore and he had nothing else to give. All his hopes had died when his daughter died.   
  
"We either turn ourselves in and save innocent lives, or we run and still die," Cid said bluntly. The answer was clear as crystal but it was still hard to accept. Tifa felt more tears start to fall as she looked down at her son.   
  
"Tifa, I know this is hard for you, but I know of a place that he'll be safe," Cid offered from the good of his heart. Tifa didn't even have to ask whom he was talking about. The child she held in her hands hadn't done anything to deserve the life of running from the government because of his parents. She nodded her head in agreement before hugging onto her child.   
  
Cloud looked back at Tifa and wasn't even able to force a smile. So much sadness was locked up inside him right now that not even a miracle could lift his spirits. All hope was lost and it seemed as if all of his hard work in the past was for nothing. All the adventures that he had didn't even come close to his decision he had to make. His legs carried his slumping body over to Tifa and he placed his hand on his child's sleeping face.   
  
"All I wanted to do was to make the world a safe place," Cloud said solemnly. "We all saved the world from Meteor. We destroyed Sephiroth. And all we get for payment is more loss and pain. But right now, the only one that is going to suffer the most, is the one that is going to be left be left behind."  
  
"I'll be meeting Shera again soon," Cid tried to cheer himself up. Shinra SOLDIERS had stoned her to death one afternoon when she was walking home from the grocery store. The only reason why they did what they had done was because she knew Cid Highwind. Rage was built up in Cid from that, but his own hands could never stop Shinra from their massacre. "We might want to start heading over there now. The walk is long and with Shinra on our heals, it's going to be hard."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Cid had been right. The walk was long and dangerous. Lucky for Tifa, Zell fell asleep in her arms twenty minutes before they reached the small house by the bay. She thought that she had already shed all her tears but as she walked up to the front porch of the house, she felt them start pouring out again.   
  
"Excuse me?" a lady with raven black hair asked as she walked towards them from the side of the house. "May I help you?"  
  
"We're in a bit of a bind right now," Cid answered knowing that the truth was hard for Tifa and she would be barely able to say what she wanted to.   
  
"I'll get it Cid," Cloud jumped into the conversation quickly. "Cid told us about you and how you take in lost children. Well, mine isn't lost, but he will be soon. I'm begging you to take my child under your roof." The lady stood in shock from the offer for the man seemed to be in his late twenties and looked like he could be making a good life.   
  
"I'm sorry, but unless there is a good reason I..."  
  
"There is a good reason. These people here and I are being hunted down. Shinra is stalking us, destroying every city until we are found. They already killed one of my children and I'm not going to let it happen again." The sound in Cloud's voice was serious and low.   
  
"All right. But I need to know what to tell the child about his real parents once he's old enough," the lady agreed.   
  
"Tell him that his grandfather was in SOLDIER, and if he ever wants to know the truth go to a small house in Nibelheim. I doubt that will be the name of it anymore, but I'm more that sure a small house will still be standing there. His questions about his parents will be answered there." Cloud smiled his unique smile that had somehow caught onto Zell. "Oh, and his name's Zell. Z-E-L-L."   
  
Tifa watched with sad eyes before turning and walking away with Cloud by her side. The toughest part of their journey was solved; now the only thing that was left was to walk into the abyss of the small future the two still held together.   
  
  
  
  
Author's note: There ya go. Short and sweet. Well, not really, but that's okay! The next part in this "series" should be longer because it's going to be about how Zell finds out about his family. MWA HA HA HA HA!! The ideas of a writer come to life!! Oh, and maybe some day I'll make this a little lengthier, but there wasn't much more I could add. I could add more on about why Shinra was trying to kill them, and stuff like that, but we'll see what happens. Right now I still have 3 more parts of this to write and then afterwards I'll probably go through and revise the entire thing so that way it   
1.) Makes more sense  
2.) Is put more into a chaptering type of a story  
3.) It might actually look like a series!!  
Okay, enough babbling. I hope you enjoyed and I hope you'll encourage me to finish it!!   
Oh, and if anybody is wondering why I wrote such a strange story, is because I always hear about how Zell could have been Tifa and Cloud's son, grandson. I never ever ever ever saw a story about it though that could make it be a possibility so I decided to try and make it so!!  



	3. Frightened Past

Author's Note: Whoa, an author's note at the beginning. I'm getting good!! But, this is about 12-13 years after the last part of my story that I wrote (or after the ending of FF8, which ever you prefer to think of it as) and if you haven't guessed it, a lot of ff8 characters are in here. Well, that's the point! My story is a way of how Zell is actually connected to Tifa and Cloud. Whenever you see these signs in the story ~ ~ that means that it's Zell's dream. (I would make it in italic but I can't seem to do it and make it show after putting it in all text. I'm not smart with computers!!!) Mwa ha ha ha! The true connection between the fantasies! Actually, probably not, but at least it's a try, right? AND THERE IS NO AERIS BASHING FROM ME!! **Applauds herself** That's an accomplishment for me.   
  
  
  
  
The teenager's mind wandered thoughtlessly as he walked on the empty street with his hands in his pockets. Life has been dull lately compared to what it had been earlier. Sorcery and whatnot made his life worth living, but now since it was over there seemed to be nothing left. Sure he had good friends and he had his adopted mother. But that was his problem. That was all he knew. Everything about his past was lost except the small thing that his adopted mother told him about his grandfather being famous in a group called SOLDIER.  
  
Zell Dincht remembered learning about SOLDIER in his school years and the concepts never grasped him that much. How could a government group named Shinra fall so quickly? The entire organization fell in less than two years and only memories of the company remained. His grandfather was apart of it and that was his only key to his past.   
  
Zell sighed deeply as he kicked a rock on the sidewalk. The small pebble bounced along his path that he was taking. The sun was setting on some mountains that were in front of him. Legends say that if you looked at the mountains at the right time of year and day you can still see the red that used to light this part of the world. All of this meant nothing to him because it was just a legend.   
  
"Hey Zell! Where are you off to?" A cheery voice seemed to lighten up his dark mood as he turned around to meet the girl his age. After all that had went on Selphie Tilmitt was still as spunky as ever.   
  
"Leave him alone Sephie, can't you see his thinking?" a young man around the age of seventeen suggested. Irvine Kinneas was standing at the curb of the road in his usual cowhide over coat and his cowboy hat. His hair was still as long as ever being tied back into a low ponytail.   
  
"It's all right Irvine. Don't worry about it. I'm just going for a little walk," Zell answered before walking off again. His spikey blonde hair flowed rather freely in the light breeze that came from the bay.   
  
"All right man, but don't be too long. We still gotta get back to the garden before curfew," Irvine didn't want to argue with his friend. He motioned for his spunky brunette friend to come over to the curb. Selphie's yellow dress was short on her but Zell could tell that Irvine didn't mind that at all. The two looked adorable together but Irvine was still too immature to get into a serious relationship at the moment.   
  
Zell continued walking down the sidewalk with his hands buried deep into the pockets of his jeans. He looked down at the ground and saw a red shoe every once and a while come forth one after the other. His tastes in clothes had always been different from his friends but he didn't care. Clothes were least of his worries at the moment.  
  
'Maybe the library will have some old documents of Shinra,' Zell thought to himself as he turned onto a side road and made his way over to the public library. He had at least an hour to search for answers but he knew he would need a lot more time than that.   
  
The glass door slid open and Zell walked in and took a sharp turn to the right. A few feet in front of him laid the documents that had been rescued from an old mansion that was torn down in pursuit of a mad man. There had been a small document written about the man saying that he had long, jet-black hair and was seen wearing a red cape.   
  
Zell disregarded the small paper and moved onto some more informative research. After about an hour of searching he learned of a man that had been an unsuccessful clone of Sephiroth. That name hadn't been mentioned much after the man cracked and went insane.   
  
"Excuse me happy readers, the library will be closing in five minutes," an announcement was heard over the intercom. "I repeat, five minutes until the library will be closing." Zell gritted his teeth together in irritation and stood up from his kneeling position.  
  
"Zell!" a feminine voice squealed from behind him. "Come on! The library is about to close. You'd better get your butt out of here."  
  
"What are you doing here Selphie?" Zell asked with a questioned look on his face.   
  
"Well, Irvine decided to go to the pub for a little while, and I noticed you go in the direction of the library. I decided to follow you because it's kind of strange for somebody to be studying when there's only a week left of school and we're already done with finals."  
  
"I guess you're right," Zell agreed and walked over to her. "Well, my grandfather was in SOLDIER so I decided to see what I could find out about Shinra and SOLDIER."  
  
"But we don't even know if that stuff is true," Selphie added in.  
  
"I know. But I have a picture of him, and I was hoping that I would be able to find things about him somewhere." Selphie's mind was lost with his reasoning but she decided to just agree anyways.   
  
"Why are you so interested in finding out about your past all of a sudden?" Selphie's curiosity started to get the best of her.   
  
"I keep on having these strange dreams," Zell started to explain as they walked out of the door. "In them, I'm walking along in this forest and I see this strange girl with a braid in her hair. She's wearing this pink dress and then she takes my hand and leads me into this room that is illuminated with green. There is no real floor, just small islands sitting around in a crystal clear pond of water with a city underneath it.   
"Well, in the middle of the pond is a small island with a man, woman, and a child standing there. The man has this blonde hair that looks similar to mine just longer and the woman is absolutely gorgeous with brunette hair that goes down to her knees. But the guy always catches my attention because he has the strangest blue eyes. I watch him reach his hand out to me and just before I get a chance to grab it..."  
  
"You wake up?" Selphie guessed while interrupting his story.   
  
"Yup. Strange isn't it?"   
  
"Maybe it's some type of omen or something. You should tell Matron about it. I'm pretty sure she would have something to say about that," Selphie suggested as they continued there way down the sidewalk to the curb.   
  
"Yeah, with summer vacation coming up I don't really have much more to do." Up ahead of them they saw Irvine standing at the curb with his arms crossed in an impatient manner.   
  
"What took you guys so long?" Irvine asked displeased. He looked over to them and started to step forward. He was startled though when he felt a strong breeze pass by him and a loud honk of a horn. A small e sound came out of his mouth as he turned toward the blazing car.   
  
"Hey guys, need a lift?" a sweet voice asked from the passenger's side of the car. Rinoa Heartilly smiled at the three as she watched them pile into the back of the car. Squall Leonheart had his usual expressionless face on as he leaned on the steering wheel awaiting the signal to go. Zell was half way into the car when Squall put it in gear and stepped on the gas. Zell stumbled the rest of the way in and fell onto Irvine and Selphie.   
  
"Hey! Do you mind?" Zell asked as he tried to regain himself. He heard Squall chuckle an evil chuckle as he pushed the petal to the metal.   
  
"No problem Zell," was all he said as a reply.   
  
************************************************************************  
  
The trip back to the garden wasn't that long but it was long enough for Zell to dose off into a light sleep. His head was resting on the door handle by the window with his head placed on the frame of the window. The car bounced lightly over a dirt road but soon found itself back on smooth pavement.   
  
Zell finally awoke when the car jolted to a stop inside the garage of the garden. The garden did have the ability to fly, but lately there was no need for it to travel. The Ragnarok was still around, but for short distances trying to set it up for flight was beginning to be burden.   
  
The garage echoed of their footsteps as the five walked into the empty hallways leading to the main lobby. Squall was in lead with Rinoa's hand in his walking off into his dorm. He was abruptly stopped when he saw a familiar face stare him down from in front of him. Quistis Trepe had always been the serious type and never liked to see them frolicking out late at night.   
  
"Where have you guys been?" Quistis asked with her usual serious tone. Her dirty blonde hair was up in its usual clip and her outfit never changed from her orange suit. She was carrying her whip by her side tapping it on her thigh in aggravation.   
  
"We just went into town for a little bit. Don't worry, nothing happened," Irvine answered for Squall quickly. They all knew that Quistis had liked Squall, but they were both so alike that it would never work out. Both serious and never really caring about what went on around them.   
  
"It's almost past curfew. You guys are lucky this time," Quistis warned. Zell rolled his eyes annoyed and started walking to his dorm.   
  
"I was talking to you Zell!" Quistis argued trying to get him to come back. "Zell! Zell come back here!" Zell looked behind him and saw Quistis on the pursuit after him. A grin swept across his face as he took off around the corner and headed over off into a dark hallway. He looked back and noticed that Quistis had stopped the chase and obviously turned back to boss the other four around.   
  
Zell sighed in relief as he continued his way down the hallway step after step. Faint memories of his past started to flood through his mind, but that was all he was able to see. After the GF's took away almost all of his memory, it was only in dreams where he remembered what it was like when he was a child. Always being picked on by everybody and always being known as the crybaby.   
  
'But, I want to know who I was before I lived with Matron,' Zell thought as he reached the door to his dorm. He pulled out a key from his pocket and slipped it gently into the lock. His eyes widened as he a faint face appeared in his memory.   
  
The face was of anger and hatred and Zell remember lots of yelling. He saw a woman crumpled on the floor holding her shoulder, as the chair was broken to the side. The door slammed and his memory faded. He shook his head and wondered whom the woman and the man in his memory was.   
  
Zell creaked the door open and darkness engulfed his body as he stepped inside. His hand made its way up the side of the wall searching for the light switch to comfort him from the loneliness of the dark. With a quick flick of his forefinger, light flooded the room and he looked at his mess that he called his room.   
  
Blankets and clothes were everywhere and debris of trash was thrown next to the trashcan. Obviously most of the time Zell was too lazy to pick up the papers that he tried to throw in the trash can and they stood by the trash can dormant. He bent down and reached to his shoes untying the laces and sliding them off of his feet. He set them next to the door and stood up shutting the door that he had forgotten to close earlier. He pried off his black jacket revealing his black muscle shirt that he wore under it constantly.  
  
Zell stepped carefully over the trash, and clothes lying in front of him and made his way over to his bed where he let his legs collapse from under him allowing him to fall on his bed. He bounced once before settling down shutting his eyes. It didn't take him long before he fell back into a deep sleep.   
  
~I remember my mommy talking on the phone calling somebody. She told me to go get some of my toys together because we were going on a trip or something. I did as I was told and grabbed my bag of toys and dragged them down the stairs. She picked me up in her arms and started to walk out the door when my angry daddy came home and pointed a gun to mommy's head.~  
  
Zell woke up in a hot sweat and looked around the room. The memories continued to flood into his head making everything around his world spin. 'Who was that man?' he asked himself as he tried to repaint the picture back in his head. He also tried to remember the woman in his dream but all he could come up with was that it was his mother, but her face was fuzzy and unclear.   
  
Zell wiped the back of his hand across his forehead revealing a line of sweat now running along his hand and wrist. He glanced over at the clock to see the time that it read. 2:30 A.M. 'Great,' he thought to himself. He lowered his head into his hands questioning the strange dream.   
  
For no real reason at all, Zell stood up from his bed and walked over to the window. He opened the shades and looked at the dark street. A light pole stood at a curb near a small open park. The light from the lamp was the only light around besides to few lights coming from one or two rooms where other students were still keeping themselves busy through the night.  
  
Zell's eyes wandered the street until he noticed a cloaked man wandering around. He tried to make out the face of the man but it was covered up by something that resembled a red scarf. With his curiosity in full bloom, he placed on his shoes and headed for his door. Luckily for him, the man was standing at the curb waiting for something from the looks of it.   
  
It took Zell about five minutes to reach the street and by then the man was long gone. He searched a while longer hoping to find some trace of the man but nothing was found except a small piece of paper. Zell noticed the paper lying on the ground next to the light pole and unfolded it carefully. In it there was very fine writing and a message that read:  
  
You may not know me, but I am a very important key to finding out about your past. If my words intrigue you in any way, please find the old Shinra mansion. I promise you that it won't be easy to find, but if you're willing to do the work to find out who you are, it will be worth it.   
  
An Old Friend  
P.S. That man was not your grandfather.  
  
"An old friend," Zell repeated out loud. The words in the letter definitely did intrigue him and so did the signing of the letter. 'This guy is a bunch of bull. That man was too my grandfather.' He scowled to himself for a few minutes before returning back to his dorm room in attempt to get more sleep.   
  
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Sleep never came to Zell, and his eyes now sagged from the lack of it. A soft knocking sound was heard as Zell approached it lazily. He placed his hand on the doorknob and turned it opening to door for his visitor.   
  
"Hey Zell!" the usual cheery voice greeted.   
  
"Hi Selphie," Zell responded with an obvious drop in his voice. All the enthusiasm that was always heard in Zell had suddenly disappeared and his outburst of energy had seemed to be wasted. Selphie cringed from his attitude change.   
  
"Are you all right Zell?" Selphie asked politely. Zell nodded his head before speaking again.   
  
"I'm not going to school today. I've got something I need to do."   
  
"What do you mean?" Selphie's confusion would have made Zell chuckle but at his current state, laughter seemed to disappear in an abyss.   
  
"I've got an idea. Do you want to come with me?" Zell asked with a small smirk on his face. "We aren't doing anything in class right now except for make-up exams and shit like that."  
  
"All right! I'll come, but where are we going?" Selphie's enthusiasm always made Zell a little less depressed. He loved her happy attitude and cherished every moment with her. Out of all his friends, she was definitely one of his best. Nobody else really had much appreciation for his cocky ways except her.   
  
"Well, last night I saw this man down on the curb and he left this letter for me," Zell explained his dream and the strange man by the light. He handed Selphie the letter and let her inspect the suspicious writing.   
  
"Wow, this is pretty amazing stuff right here. So, we might actually be able to find out who your family was!" Selphie smiled joyfully at their new adventure that they were going on even if it was only to benefit Zell and not her.   
  
Zell nodded as he imagined his parents smiling at him and taking him in with open arms. He quickly found himself daydreaming but snapped out of it before Selphie would notice.   
  
"Uh...Zell? I think you might want to put some...err...pants on," Selphie tried to say it politely as she pointed down to his boxers. Zell's face underwent various shades of red as he glanced down to his legs. He broke out laughing making Selphie quickly join in on the humor.   
  
"Okay, so I'm not really together right now. Would ya' like to come in for a few minutes while I get myself ready?" Zell asked while stepping to the side of the door.   
  
"Definitely!" Selphie answered quickly and bounced in through the door. "Looks like my room," she commented as she looked around at his mess of a room.   
  
"What can I say? I haven't had time to clean," Zell quickly thought up of an excuse. "I've got a map over in the corner there, if you'd like to, you can look at it and see where the heck that mansion would be."   
  
"Okay," Selphie agreed and tiptoed her way through the clothes that were strategically placed along the floor. She had made it about three quarters of the way to the other side when her foot got stuck under a t-shirt that was in front of her. Her reaction wasn't fast enough for the fall that she was taking.   
  
Zell saw Selphie's arms start to flail out into the air and he jumped over to her side. He put his arms around her waist as she fell down into his arms. It took her a few seconds to realize her klutzy mistake that she had done. Now it was her turn for her face to turn a bright shade of red.   
  
"Thanks, um..." Selphie was at a loss of words.   
  
"Don't worry about it. Just be a little bit more careful. My room is a living death trap," Zell joked. Selphie giggled as Zell helped her get back to her feet.   
  
"Let me just grab some pants and a shirt and then I'll be ready to go," Zell explained with a little bashful tone. He stepped backwards pointing his thumbs behind him with a sheepish smile on his face. He too, accidentally tripped on a pair of pants but was able to recover himself before his face met the ground.   
  
Selphie watched Zell with an eyebrow rose as he walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Her thoughts were carried along with him after the events that had just happened. 'Okay, he just invited me to go with him to find out about his past, AND he just caught me from falling. Get a hold of your self, Selphie! Any friend would do that. You're just letting your emotions get the best of you!' she thought carefully in her head.   
  
Selphie shook her head in disgust at her emotions trying to mislead her. Zell was right; in front of her was a rather large crumpled map. She stretched across the pile of dirty clothes in front of her and snatched the map. She carefully walked over to Zell's bed and placed the map on it. After unfolding the map, it stretched out across half of Zell's bed.   
  
"Well...well...well." Selphie examined the map carefully and looked at the small cities and towns. 'This map is old!' she thought to herself excitedly. The red canyons of Cosmo Canyon were still standing but a lot of other towns were already torn down. Deiling and Timber were already built and others were still being created.   
  
"Midgar?" she asked out loud.   
  
"Yeah, these are a lot of the cities that were destroyed during the sorceress war. I know Midgar is a ruined city now, but that's really the only one that is left standing. All the others were completely destroyed," Zell ranted as he put on his black jacket. He walked over to his bed and pointed to a certain spot on the bed.   
  
"That's where I want to go," Zell said bluntly as Selphie looked at the city called Nibelheim from where his finger was pointing.   
  
"Why there?" Selphie asked with a questioned look on her face.   
  
"I don't know, but that town name keeps coming up in my dreams." Zell rolled up the map and placed it under his arm. He glanced a quick smile to Selphie before making his way over to the door. He looked around the entrance in search for his red shoes that he left there the night before.   
  
Selphie walked over to the front door and knelt down to the floor and picked up his shoes that she found easily. Zell's back was turned to her as he shuffled through some clothes in a desperate search for his favorite shoes.   
  
"Looking for these?" Selphie asked with a giggle. Zell turned to face her and his face was planted right in his shoes. He took the shoes away from her and put them on with a scowl on his face.   
  
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The halls were lively with students rushing off towards their classes. After being bumped into numerous times, Zell decided that there had to be an easier way to get to the garage of the garden. He grabbed a hold of Selphie's arm and started to plow through the people.  
  
"Zell! Why are we in such a hurry?" Selphie asked as she stumbled behind him.   
  
"I don't want to have to deal with security!" Zell yelled back trying to have his voice heard from over the crowd. Selphie didn't feel the need to be in such a hurry, but she wasn't going to argue. Zell took a sharp turn down a right hall that lead into the garage.   
  
"Do you think Squall would mind if I used his car?" Zell asked as he walked into the garage and towards a blue car that had a dent in it.   
  
"How do you expect to use his car? You don't have the finger print to get it working," Selphie stated trying to burst Zell's bubble.   
  
"Dun' need a key, or fingerprint," Zell said plainly as he jumped into the car from the open cab. Squall always liked convertibles so I guess it only made sense that he got one. Too bad for him that he never closed the top, for it was so easy to jump in and drive off with the car.   
  
"Zell, I don't think that's a very good idea..." Selphie cringed as she stepped lightly towards the car.  
  
"You don't have to come Selphie. I right now really need to find out who I am. I love my adopted parents, but I just want to know why my parents left me, and so on. It's your choice Sephie, because this boat is leaving with or without you. Even though I would much prefer with you," Zell confessed at the end of his short speech.   
  
Selphie was astonished by his talk and the thought of an adventure right now sparked inside her. She smiled evilly and walked quickly to the other side of the car. She lifted herself up onto the car door and swung her legs inside.   
  
"Well, if that's how you feel, then I guess I cannot resist the offer," Selphie said in a sassy voice. Zell smirked at her sudden change in heart and watched her jump into the passenger's seat.  
  
"Cool," was all Zell said before he kicked the plastic under the steering wheel. Many colored wires were revealed and Zell pulled out a small knife cutting one of the wires.   
  
"What are you doing?" Selphie asked as she tried to look at what he was doing under the wheel.   
  
"Hotwiring it," Zell said with a concentrated look on his face. His fingers stumbled with the wires until the engine roared alive. "Booya!" Zell exclaimed as he sat up in the driver's seat. He turned around and shifted the car into reverse and guided it around the cars sitting next to his.   
  
"And we are off!" Zell exclaimed as he shifted the car into gear and revved it up and out of the garage. They hadn't even been out of the garage for 20 minutes when Zell found himself completely lost.   
  
"Can you look on the map again?" Zell asked as he looked around at the fork in the road. Selphie unfolded the map and tried to find where they had wandered off.   
  
"I don't see this road on the map, but I have a feeling that we need to take a right because if you head left you'll just end up going to the coast," Selphie explained and pointed towards the right road. Zell nodded and turned the steering wheel to turn down the road where his history laid.   
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Gosh that was a long ride," Selphie stated as she straitened the wrinkles in her dress. She stretched her arms up and looked at an old mansion that was overgrown with exotic plants. Vines stretched up the rails on the stairs leading up to the entrance where the door was off its hinge and leaning on the doorframe.   
  
"It's definitely an old mansion; that's for sure," Zell noted as he took out the letter. He read over it once more before placing it back in his back pocket. "Let's go see."  
  
Zell was the first to venture up the stairs. His steps were unsure as small patches of grass squashed beneath his shoe. He stopped suddenly when he saw a shadow at the entrance of the doorway. The shadow looked down at the visitors before disappearing into the darkness of the mansion.   
  
"That must have been that guy! Come on Sephie!" Zell exclaimed and ran up the rest of the stairs.   
  
"Zell! Wait up!" Selphie cried as she tried to catch up. She saw Zell disappear beyond the door and into the entranceway. "Thanks a bunch...for waiting...for..." Selphie wheezed before her sentence was cut off by the magnificence of the inside of the mansion.   
  
"What...is this place?" Selphie asked awestruck. A staircase was in front of her that led off into two different hallways. The mansion was dark with the exception of a few spots of light from holes in the roof.   
  
"Hello?" Zell called out. "Hell-o!" His voice echoed through out the mansion spooking a few birds that had made their home here.   
  
"There is no need to be so loud," an eerie voice said calmly from behind the two. Selphie gasped as she turned towards the thing that produced the sound.   
  
"You're the one that wrote this letter, aren't you?" Zell asked as he pulled it out of his pocket and held it in front of him. The man stepped out from the shadow and his facial features were clear. Selphie looked at his red eyes and his black hair that was below his shoulder and rather messy. He wore a red cape that went up to his head hiding his mouth. He kept his hair out of his face from a red headband. But the thing that caught her interest was the claw that he had on his left arm.  
  
"Yes I am," the man said coldly. "Follow me. There's something I want to show you." The mysterious man walked past the two and started heading up the stairs. "You may bring the girl."   
  
Zell was shocked at how rude the man was, but if it helped him find out who he was, he didn't really care. 'I've seen that man somewhere,' he thought to himself as he followed the man up the stairs.   
  
The three ended up walking down into a room, which almost appeared to be a dungeon of some sort. Three coffins were placed around the room and one seemed to be in use. Selphie was startled at the sight but showed no evidence of it. The man walked to the other side of the room and kneeled down to what seemed to be a chest.   
  
"You'll find your answers all in here. Now please leave for I do not like visitors," the man said rudely.   
  
"Well, can we at least get your name?" Selphie asked.   
  
"Vincent Valentine. It has no importance though," Vincent said in his melancholy voice.   
  
"Vincent Valentine," Zell repeated. "You're that man that Shinra was after! They had a picture of you in some of their documents. They said you were part of the cause of...Comet? Meteor? Something like that."  
  
"It was Meteor, and no I was not the cause of it. Neither was your mother or father. Don't let Shinra deceive you boy. That corporation was full of lies. Maybe we will speak of this again some other time."   
  
"What do you mean? Tell me! I wasn't to know what you are talking about!" Zell exclaimed as he crouched down into a more intimidating position.   
  
"Look through the contents of that box there. Then in time you will find the answers. We will have another discussion some other time. If I told you right now, nothing would make sense to you. Leave now."   
  
"Come on Zell, obviously he can't help," Selphie said disappointedly. She placed her hand on his shoulder in attempt to get him to calm down. Zell stood up and looked down at Selphie. He nodded in reply and started walking out of the door. Selphie followed and glanced at Vincent once more to see the man that supposedly knew Zell's past.   
  
Zell stepped down the stairs with the box held firmly in his hand. About 3 steps from the bottom, he jumped and waited for Selphie. She was still at the top and was heading down. He decided to be a gentleman for once and he put his hand out when she just about reached him.   
  
"Thank you," Selphie said politely as she reached for his hand. With her luck, she tripped over her foot as she tried to descend the last few steps. She started to plummet down before Zell caught her once again.   
  
"That's two now," Zell grinned. He once again helped Selphie back to her feet. He started walking off and she caught up to him quickly. She felt her face blush again from her klutziness.   
  
"I have a question Zell," Selphie asked before she jumped into the car.   
  
"And that is?" Zell asked as he launched himself into the driver's seat.   
  
"Why did you want ME to come? I mean, why not Squall, or Irvine, or Quistis?"   
  
"You want to know the truth? Out of all of them, you're the only one that can really understand me. Quistis and Squall are so serious all the time, and Rinoa and Irvine are such flirts. You're really the only one that can relate with me, ya know?" Zell explained. He pushed the two wires together again and the engine came back to life. He pushed the car into gear and headed down the road from where they had come from.  
  
Selphie was again caught speechless. 'Does he really like me?' she asked herself. 'Maybe he does? Should I ask? No Selphie, let the guy come onto you. Anyways you don't want to ruin this friendship.'   
  
"I guess you're right. I always thought that Irvine was practically my best friend, and I always thought that him and me could get somewhere. But recently, I've been noticing that he is too immature to get in a serious relationship. But enough about that! Let me see what's in that box," Selphie tried changing the subject quickly.   
  
"Oh, okay sure," Zell agreed and handed Selphie the box. She undid the lock on it and opened it up gently. The first thing she noticed was a sweet scent being released from inside.   
  
"Wow," Selphie said amazed. Inside were numerous letters and pictures. "I...I think you've really got something here, Zell."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Zell asked and tried to peer over into the box.   
  
"I'll show you in a sec. Just drive!" Selphie exclaimed as she noticed them veering off the road. Zell turned the car quickly the opposite direction to get back on the road. He smiled sheepishly as he put his eyes back on the road.   
  
Selphie giggled to herself before digging back through the box. She noticed a picture with a man, woman, and small child in it. The child had blonde hair that came to a point at the forehead and resembled Zell at much earlier years. The woman in the picture had long dark brown hair that hung down to her knees. Her hair was tied in a small wrap at the bottom and her eyes were a cheerful amber color. The man in the picture had blonde spikey hair that seemed to be an absolute mess. He wore a blue muscle shirt and worn pants.   
  
"Is this you Zell?" Selphie asked as she pointed to the child in the picture.   
  
"Let me see," Zell ordered. He tried to lift his head over to the picture but it was no use. Selphie laughed at herself and handed the picture to Zell. The car came to an immediate stop and the wheels screeched on the pavement.   
  
"Zell? What's wrong?" Selphie asked getting scared from the immediate stop.   
  
"I...I...remember them," Zell said plainly.   
  
"Remember who?" Selphie asked concerned. Zell looked up and over to Zell.   
  
"Have you ever had 4 years of your life that you thought was lost all of a sudden rush back into your head?"  
  
"Yeah, remember about the orphanage thing?" Selphie reminded him.   
  
"I know that, but things that were lost from you. Where I came from, my parents. I remember everything."  
  
"That man in the picture was my step father I guess you could say. I remember my mother being married to another man. He had red hair and was very abusive. Every night was the same routine. My real father would leave for the bar, come home, and find a reason to beat my mom. Most of the time I was asleep during those times, but sometimes I would be lying in my bed and I heard the screams, the glass shattering. I was so scared that I never wanted to leave my room. I would cry to myself and hope that my mom was safe.   
  
"I remember one night in particular though. It was the usual routine, except I went out to see what was happening. My mom picked me up in her arms and was hit with a chair. My father then left and my mom was in tears. She told me that we were going away for a little while. Later that night this man came and brought my father to the ground. That man was my new stepfather. His name was Cloud, that much I remember.   
  
"My mom never told me much about him, but I liked him. He was very kind and I knew he loved my mom very much. That man, Vincent, he was there. I remember him too. A few faces are still a little fuzzy, but I'm sure if I saw a picture of them I would remember them right away.   
  
I don't know why my parents would have left me with Matron, but I do remember a fire. There was also a gunshot and my mom was kneeling down to a child weeping. That was the last I remember before waking up at the orphanage."  
  
"That's amazing. Wow," Selphie seemed just as shocked as Zell was. "Look, there are letters in here too. Do you want me to read them out loud to you while you drive?"   
  
"That'd be great. Here," Zell handed her back the picture and started the car again.   
  
"Well let's see. Here's one," Selphie pulled one of the letters out and started to read it.   
  
Dear Zell,  
  
There is so much I want to tell you. I'm so sorry that I won't be able to. Hopefully though, I will see you again sometime, even if it isn't in life. I already miss you honey, and the guilt for leaving you at the orphanage is pounding down on my heart. There is no good or right reason for leaving you there, but I wanted you to live. I know if I brought you where I was going, you would be dead for sure....  
  
"The rest of the letter is torn off. I wonder what happened?" Selphie asked as she inspected the letter more.   
  
"Dammit, I'm betting that one told me why I was put in that orphanage too. Are there any more?" Zell asked hoping for a good answer.  
  
"No, I thought there was, but there isn't," Selphie said disappointed. "Hey, what's this?" She pulled out a small red ball that appeared to look like a marble. Although when she held it, power surged throughout her whole body.   
  
"Oh my God! I thought they had destroyed all of that!" Zell exclaimed as he snatched it away from her. "It's Materia. This used to be the magic system a long time ago. This also was what Shinra was mining. I read that they took the life energy from the planet, and condensed it to make these."   
  
"There are more pictures in here too," Selphie explained as she pulled them out. She laughed to herself as she looked at a picture of an infant with chocolate all over its face.   
  
"Lemme see," Zell whined as he put out his hand. Selphie handed him the picture of the baby and continued her way through the photos. Zell chuckled to himself as he glanced down at it. He fixed his eyes back on the road quickly trying to stay on the road.   
  
"You know who this is? Just to tell you, it isn't me," Zell asked.   
  
"I dun no. Who?' Selphie asked curious of all the faces in the picture.  
  
"That's my baby sister. I remember her barely. I think Shinra shot her, but I'm not entirely sure. I was so little then, that it's really a blur."  
  
"You had a baby sister?!" The excitement in Selphie's voice was obvious. She was shocked to hear that her friend wasn't an only sibling. Even though it seemed like they were all brothers and sisters from the orphanage, but for him to actually have a sister.   
  
"If you wait until we get back to the dorm, I think I can explain a lot of those pictures."  
  
"Man, the others are going to freak!" Selphie said excited.   
  
************************************************************************  
  
Zell walked into the cafeteria and sat down at one of the tables. Selphie seated herself next to him and the others pulled up a seat and sat.   
  
"So, you took my car," Squall said in a monotone voice.   
  
"Yes, but it was for a good cause!" Zell explained for the hundredth time.   
  
"You took...my car."   
  
"Yes! I'm sorry! I should've asked," Zell, yelled annoyed.   
  
"Lighten up Squall. The car is back in the garage safe and sound. Now, would you just listen to what he's got to say? I mean, he actually found out who his real god damn real parents are!" Selphie lost control of herself and yelled. "Heh Heh, whoops."   
  
"Yeah, anyways. You know my grandfather that I said I wanted to be just like; well he wasn't my grandfather. He was my father. Well, stepfather actually," Zell said coolly.   
  
"Your father? That's cool Zell! So, did you find anything about your mother and such?" Rinoa asked curious. Squall crossed his arms and leaned against the back of the chair. Zell explained his whole story and added more about Barret, Cid and Red XIII. The others were intrigued about his story.   
  
"So, why did you go to the orphanage?" Quistis asked.   
  
"I...don't know. A letter here was explaining it, but the last half of it was torn off. I'm planning to go back to Vincent and ask him. He was a friend of my moms." Quistis nodded her head in compliment and placed a fry in her mouth. The gang was sharing a plate of fries that lay on the white table in front of them.   
  
"My poor, poor car," Squall whispered to himself. He soon found a small fist planted into his right shoulder.   
  
"Be a little more courteous," Rinoa said softly so only Squall could hear. Squall moaned stubbornly and slouched in his chair. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the world. Rinoa rolled her eyes before joining the conversation again.   
  
"So can we come?" Rinoa asked curiously.   
  
"Well, I don't know. I don't see why not really," Zell shrugged.   
  
"Great! When are we leaving?" Selphie put on a happy face as usual and her voice was a cheery as ever.   
  
"It's not that long of a drive..."  
  
"Okay then. Let's go. I'm driving," Squall hurriedly said. He stood up from the table and started out the door.   
  
"What is with him?" Irvine asked and raised the corner of his lip.   
  
"I don't know, but let's just go." Quistis soon joined Squall out the door with Rinoa close to her heels. Zell grabbed the letter that was set on the table and roughly placed it in his pocket. He stood up quickly and waited for the other two to join him.   
  
"Let's do it!" Zell exclaimed with a grin on his face.   
  
"All right!" Selphie joined in on the excitement. Irvine shrugged his shoulders and placed his hands in his pocket. He followed Zell and Selphie walk out the door and down the halls to the garage.   
  
************************************************************************  
  
"I think you like, got us lost Zell," Irvine stated the obvious like usual.   
  
"You think?" Zell snapped back. His attitude had become a bit touchier after they took an extra 2 hours to find the turn to the house. "Look, the house was just right down the road! I swear!"  
  
"It was! I remember," Selphie added in trying to defend Zell.   
  
"Well, obviously it isn't here. Let's just go home. This is stupid," Squall told the others in his usual not amused voice. Rinoa stepped over to Squall and placed a hand on his shoulder.   
  
"This is really important to Zell. Come on, let's just keep trying, okay?" Rinoa softly pleaded to Squall. He glanced over to her and watched her eye's showing hope for their friend.   
  
"Whatever..." Rinoa smiled at his response and bounced over to Zell. Her cheerful face lit Zell up too as she started walking over to the woods.   
  
"Come on! I bet if we go in here the other road will be there!" Rinoa suggested and disappeared into the dark trees. Zell followed her quickly trusting her completely.   
  
"Hey guys! Wait up!" Selphie exclaimed running after the two. Irvine watched Selphie before walking over to the car.   
  
"I'm staying here. Somebody's gotta watch the car," Irvine spat out in jealously.   
  
"Somebody's getting jealous," Quistis said quietly and crossed her arms. Irvine spit on the ground and crossed his arms. Squall watched the two for a minute before he started his ascend into the dark forest where there seemed to be no light able to reach the soil ground.   
  
"Boo!" Rinoa exclaimed as she jumped out of a tree and in front of Squall. Squall jumped back and his body became stiff from the sudden action of Rinoa.   
  
"Are you crazy?" Squall asked giving her a questioning look.   
  
"For you yes, but that's about it," Rinoa gleamed. She gave Squall a peck on the cheek before skipping off into the forest to the two walking in front of them.   
  
"Where exactly are we going?" Selphie asked while her eyes darted around the flourishing trees.   
  
"I have no idea. But I can see a clearing up ahead, so maybe there's something up there," Zell suggested and picked his pace up. Selphie noticed him moving ahead faster and started to run to catch up. Her short legs were barely able to keep up with him but they found themselves at the clearing sooner than expected.   
  
Zell stood at the ledge of a small spring that emitted a strange glow. Selphie accidentally ran into him on her pursuit to catch up. He felt his balance being thrown off and he tried to regain it. Closing his eyes, he expected to his the strange substance quickly and hoped that he would be able to swim through it.   
  
"Sorry about that," Selphie apologized as she helped Zell regain his footing. He opened his eyes once again and let out a sigh of relief as he saw himself still standing on the rock.   
  
"Don't worry about-it!" Zell felt his body fly forward and hit the substance in a grand belly flop. He flung his arms out wildly trying to fill his lungs with the sweet air that he wanted so desperately. His lungs started to burn as he felt himself being pulled further down into the spring instead of swimming up.   
  
'Shit!' Zell cursed to himself in his head. He lost all his orientation from the fall and was swimming down. 'It's too late now. I'll never make it to the top!' were Zell's last thoughts as he saw the world around him turn to a deafening black.   
  
  
  
The world where Zell woke up was a strange and yet beautiful at the same time. A green glow emitted all around him and it seemed just like his dream.   
  
"Shit, what just happened?" Zell asked out loud desperately hoping for an answer.  
  
"Well, you're not in Balamb anymore. That's for sure," a woman's voice answered. Zell's eyes shot toward the source of the voice and he saw very familiar girl. Her pink dress and brunette braid was just like the one in his dream.   
  
"You're that girl from my dream. Am I dreaming again? Or am I..."  
  
"Well you should be," the girl cut in quickly. "But, Lifestream doesn't think the same right now. Follow me, somebody wants to talk to you."   
  
"Wait, tell me your name. Please?" Zell asked as he stood up from the ground.   
  
"My name's Aeris," the girl smiled to him and headed down a hallway of green. Zell's feet moved as fast as they could but he seemed to be moving nowhere. He noticed himself floating in place and starting to make summersaults in the air.   
  
"Hey! Why can't I move?" Zell screamed after the girl. Aeris turned back towards him and giggled to herself.   
  
"Boy, you've got a lot to learn about Lifestream. I can tell your Cloud's son. Sheesh!" Aeris laughed to herself again as she placed her hands on Zell's shoulders to stop his turning motion.   
  
"But, Cloud was only my step father though. Never my real father," Zell argued.   
  
"Excuse me? Who's the dead one here? Who's the one that knows all about your father? That lame excuse of husband/father Johnny could never be your father. Anyways, you look almost exactly like Cloud." Aeris' hands were gentle as she pushed Zell to the ground in attempt to keep him on his own feet.   
  
"Gosh. You depend on people a lot, don't you?"   
  
"What do you mean by that?" Zell asked. He slowly started floating back up again as soon as Aeris released his shoulders.   
  
"Well, if you didn't, you would be standing on your own right now," Aeris proceeded in attempt to push him down and release him. She continued this process for several minutes until he finally was able to stand.   
  
"All right! We got you to stand. Now let's see if you can walk." Zell placed his foot in front of him and set it down. He did the same to the other until he was walking on his own.   
  
"Very good! Good boy, I'll make sure to give you a treat!" Aeris joked as she continued to walk by his side. Zell shot her a bad look as he walked carefully as to insure that he wasn't going to start floating again.   
  
For all the effort that Zell put into it, the walk was short and rather exhausting for him. He tried to catch his breath as he looked around the large room with floating platforms.   
  
"This is just like my dream," Zell pointed out as he jumped on one of the platforms.   
  
"Careful! You don't want to go floating to the ceiling, do you?" Aeris warned as she followed him.  
  
"I got the hang of it. Don't worry," Zell assured her as he jumped to the next one.   
  
"Hi Aeris!" a voice greeted from the middle platform.   
  
"Hey Tifa! How's it going? I brought you your...victim!" Aeris joked again. Even though she was murdered, she always seemed to have a good sense of humor even in the after life. Tifa laughed happily as she watched Zell stop dead in his tracks.   
  
"You only have 20 minutes until your friends revive you. I suggest you hurry!" Aeris pushed Zell towards the strange woman. The look on Zell's face was priceless for Tifa even if it was her son.   
  
"I've been waiting so long," Tifa said quietly as she looked into her son's eyes.   
  
"You're that woman in my dreams," Zell lowered his head embarrassed if it wasn't his mother.   
  
"Well, 20 minutes isn't very long, but I guess it will have to do. Zell, there is a danger coming, something that you will never be able to defeat because it isn't real. It's an illusion, a very powerful illusion. This may actually be the end of the world..." Tifa was cut off suddenly by a low noise rumbling from under them.   
  
"Lifestream has plans for defeating this...thing but it won't tell me, or anybody else," Tifa continued on in her explanation. Aeris whistled to herself as she overheard the conversation.   
  
"I know what Lifestream has planned," she snickered to herself. "But I can't say. You'll find out soon enough."  
  
"Do you enjoy making the whole planet laugh at me? I hate always being at the end of the joke," Tifa gave a fake sniffle trying to make a dramatic speech. Aeris had quickly become her best friend in the after-life and making jokes of each other was basically their hobby. All seriousness seemed to have faded since there really was nothing to worry about anymore.   
  
"Uh..." Zell stood dumbfounded by the two girl's conversation.   
  
"Well then. Sorry honey, I don't really have much to say then. We'll all find out soon enough!" Tifa smiled at Zell.  
  
"Honey?" Zell asked at the childish name.   
  
"Hmm...Guess I can't call you that anymore. Is son better?" Tifa asked as she stepped closer to him.   
  
"Mom...?" Zell asked with his eyes wide open.   
  
"That's me," she said sweetly to her son. Both of their arms soon found themselves entangled in a hug.   
  
"Hey! Now I can ask you. What was on the rest of that letter? Why did you leave me at an orphanage?" Zell asked after releasing her.   
  
"It's a long story. You can hate me if you want, but it was for your safety. Your father and I were being hunted down, so I decided to bring you somewhere safe so you could grow and have a happy life. So many towns had been destroyed during that time that we gave up to save the few towns left. Obviously those ones didn't last either during the Sorceress War that followed it immediately."   
  
"Yeah, I guess not," Zell added and smiled to his mother.   
  
"Hey guys, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but, times up!" Aeris broke into the conversation.   
  
"But, what about my father? Will I get to meet him?" Zell asked and looked at the two confused.   
  
"You'll get to see him when you really die, but until then remember that I love you," Tifa gave him one last hug and a smile.   
  
"What are you talking about? You're going with him!" Aeris shrieked in happiness.   
  
"What?!" Tifa jumped back startled.   
  
"See you Tifa!" Aeris waved to her friend that started to vanish. Zell's legs started to disappear from underneath him and Aeris could see the questions written all over his face. "Hey Zell! You'll get to meet your father too!"   
  
"Wait! NO! I don't want to go back!" Tifa screamed as her face faded and she was no longer in her peaceful after-life.  
  
"Sorry Tiffs but we gotta have somebody save the world again," Aeris apologized to the air that was left from the two. "Cloud! Get your butt in here! It's time for you to go!"  
  
A small thud could be heard from a room not so far away. Aeris rolled her eyes as she jumped off the platforms and headed into a small hallway. She only need to walk a short distance before she saw Cloud running out of a room trying to pull his pants fully on.   
  
"What is it? I was trying to sleep!" Cloud complained as he buckled his belt.   
  
"Put on a shirt, and get over to the platform over there. The world needs a savior right now and Lifestream picked you!" Aeris said joyfully as she headed back to the raised platform.   
  
"I save the world once and then all of a sudden they think it's okay to call on me anytime to save the world. Jeeze," Cloud mumbled to himself as he walked back into his room and grabbed a blue tank top. His apparel never changed from his usual. Brown boots, blue tank top and pants.   
  
"You take a long time for a dead guy," Aeris stated as she watched him stomp up on the platform. "Hey, be happy that you get to be alive once more. Can't say you will be for very long, but at least you get to see your son all grown up!"   
  
"What do you mean "not for very long?" Cloud asked as he finished zipping up his last boot. (Ever notice that he has zip up boots?! That's kool!)   
  
"Well, you could be alive for a while, but I don't actually know. Lifestream refuses to tell me. But don't worry, I'll take good care of Ali for you while your gone!" Aeris offered as she watched his daughter walk by with a questioning look on her face.  
  
"What's going on?" Ali asked. She may have died when she was an infant, but her soul let her be whatever age she wished to be, even if she did want to be the age 16.   
  
"Your mom and dad are going to go save the world," Aeris said bluntly.   
  
"Oh, okay," Ali shrugged her arms and continued her walk to the other hall.   
  
"I hate teenagers," Cloud scowled to himself as he watched his daughter's long hair flow elegantly. Somehow she also gained Cloud's blonde hair and blue eyes.   
  
"Don't worry about her right now. You have to deal with six back on Earth," Aeris added to the joy of the situation. Cloud hung his head low as his body started to fade away just like the two before.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Ouch," Cloud complained as he sat up from where he was lying. He placed his hand on his head and looked around at all the faces that stared down at him.   
  
"Cloud!" he heard a voice exclaim before he felt two arms clasp around him. He gave a faint smile as he looked down at Tifa who happily dug the side of her face into this arm.   
  
"I thought you would never wake up," Tifa said sweetly as her gaze met his.   
  
"You know me."  
  
"I know... that's why I was worried." Tifa giggled and released him from her grasp. Cloud ran his hand through his hair to feel water like substance drenching his spikes down.   
  
"My name's Rinoa," Rinoa greeted instantly and stretched her hand out for a handshake.   
  
"I would shake your hand but..." Tifa started saying and lifted her hand to show the substance smothering it. "Lifestream is still everywhere," Tifa commented as she peered over to the pool where Zell had fallen in.   
  
Zell sat leaning up against a rock with his head in his hands. His world seemed to be spinning around him as he watched HIS mother and father being pulled out of the substance and instantly being brought back to life. It was bizarre and he couldn't handle everything right now. He wanted to just cry like a baby, but that would be useless.   
  
Zell found his thoughts interrupted by wind whistling past him. He glanced around to try and find the source of the sudden breeze but could find nothing. He stood from his place and looked at the rest of them staring at something on the rocks.   
  
"Zell! Get out of there!" Tifa exclaimed as she watched Zell step back quickly. He ran over to the others and they all watched the strange being on the rocks.   
  
A majestic white wolf with emerald eyes stared down at them baring its bleached teeth. Its eyes darted from one person to the next as if searching them over for something. Its body was translucent and glowed brightly for the little sun that shined through the canopy of trees. The wolf's eyes stopped at a certain body lying on the ground next to Tifa.  
  
"Cloud Strife," the wolf growled. " I will avenge the Sephiroth." Its voice sounded like a howl in the wind and echoed through everyone's ears as it vanished from its perch. Squall and Zell looked around cautiously awaiting for it to reappear again. Cloud's face was written with anger as he glared at the place where the wolf was last seen.   
  
Cloud felt a sharp pain running through his arm and he yelled in pain as he saw bite marks appear on his lower arm. He was totally defenseless from the attack and his blood oozed on the ground below him.   
  
"I will avenge the..." echoed through the forest as the breeze of wind was felt by them all and vanished just as quickly as it appeared. Cloud clutched his arm and bent over trying to hide it from the viewers.   
  
"I knew that was coming," Cloud chuckled to himself. "Man. Not even alive for five minutes before I get to see blood again." Tifa tore a small piece off of her already tiny shirt and pulled his arm towards her.   
  
"Watch it girl. If I get hurt again there will be no shirt for you left," Cloud blushed slightly watching Tifa wrap his bite wound up tightly.   
  
"Doesn't matter though. They all know that I'm taken," Tifa smiled and kissed Cloud on the forehead.   
  
"Don't tell Irvine that," Selphie coughed joining in on the conversation.   
  
"Why? Who's Irvine?" Tifa asked perplexed from the comment.   
  
"You'll find out. Trust me, you'll find out," Selphie warned.   
  
"I don't even know all your guys' names," Tifa climbed to her feet and introduced herself. "I'm Tifa. Zell's actual mother, and now I feel like I'm one hundred years old for saying that."   
  
"Oh please. You died at the age twenty-five. And now Lifestream let you have whatever age you wanted," Cloud kicked her foot lightly.   
  
"Yeah, I guess that would explain why I'm still 20 then!" Tifa laughed to herself noticing that the rest weren't amused.   
  
"I'm Selphie! And that's Squall. He's the quiet type so don't expect much out of him," Selphie greeted in her usual cheery voice.   
  
"He needs to meet Barret and Cid. He wouldn't be quiet for long. No way," Tifa added the memories of her old friends.   
  
"Painful memories. Please don't remind me," Cloud rubbed his temple with his index and middle finger. Tifa's laughter once again filled the air and Selphie and Rinoa soon joined in on her laughter.   
  
"Now what do we do?" Zell asked as he shuffled his feet over to them.   
  
"Right now, I want to take a shower and get some proper bandaging on his wound," Tifa explained and straightened some wrinkles in her skirt. She reached her hand down to Cloud and helped him climb to his feet.   
  
"I don't have enough room in my car for two other people," Squall stated as he crossed his arms. "It's already bad enough having to listen to Selphie's whining while she's sitting on Irvine's lap."  
  
"How far of a walk is it to your guys' home?" Cloud asked in a solemn voice.   
  
"Too far," Squall answered. The two men contemplated the situation and both came up with no answer.   
  
"Well we don't have much of a choice," Tifa said quickly. "We'll just have to double up everybody in the car, except for the driver. It can't be that hard."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Tifa ate her words as they tried to figure out who was going to sit where. Squall sat in the driver's seat with shaking his head out of the immaturity of his friends.  
  
"I call the new girl!" Irvine offered quickly. Tifa shook her head and hid behind Cloud to show where she belonged.   
  
"Would you guys just climb in the car and sit down?" Squall asked impatiently.   
  
"Sorry your highness," Zell apologized sarcastically and climbed into a seat. Cloud sat next to him with Tifa climbing into his lap. He latched his arms around her acting like a seat belt to prevent her from flying out. Irvine sat in the back next to Cloud and offered Selphie to sit in his lap. She rolled her eyes at his offer but took it anyways. Quistis took the seat up front and Rinoa sat in the middle seat next to Squall.  
  
"There, I told you we could do it," Tifa said reluctantly.   
  
"Just what I need, another girl," Squall scowled as he started the engine.   
  
"I don't think it's that bad," Irvine stated with a grin on his face. The ride back to Balamb was full of bad remarks to one another and maybe a decent conversation once and awhile.   
  
"I'll go get Cid and see what he can do for you two," Squall offered and headed off to find the Headmaster.   
  
"Cid?" Cloud and Tifa said in unison as the name popped a familiar face in their mind.  
  
"I don't think it's the Cid you guys are thinking of," Zell stated quickly. "I remember that guy. He smelled like smoke and back then I didn't even understand half the words he said. I would now though."   
  
"You not understanding him back then was a good thing," Tifa commented quickly as memories of the old pilot flooded her mind. She missed the adventures that they had together back then. Just her and the gang. Cid, Barret, Cait Sith, Nanaki, Yuffie, Vincent, Cloud and herself. 'Vincent. Where are you buddy? I heard you were still alive, but where?' she thought curiously to herself.   
  
"Hey Cloud, maybe before we face this "thing" maybe we should find Vincent. He's still roaming around here somewhere," Tifa suggested as they waited for the return of Squall.   
  
"Yeah, but I don't know if he would still want to do this kind of stuff. I bet he settled down by now and has a family," Cloud spoke before he thought about his comment. "Well, maybe not a family, but you know what I mean." Tifa nodded and scratched the idea of finding their old friend.   
  
His memories still haunted her though. He was always quiet and never really spoke much about himself or about his problems. Tifa did have to thank him for a lot though. He was the one there during her hardest time in life. The time when she was still living with Johnny. She shook off the thoughts of Johnny quickly trying to keep her mind and attitude still cheery.   
  
Cloud placed an arm around her delicate waist trying to keep her mind off things. He could always tell when she was thinking of Johnny. Her whole face seems to darken and her eyes are filled with hatred and anger of another sort. Her body still trembles from the bruises and scars that forever infest her body and soul.   
  
"Don't think about him right now. We have other things to worry about," Cloud said sweetly to her to try and lift her spirits.   
  
"Yeah, you're right," Tifa agreed and put her mind on the problem at hand. Zell paced around the room awkwardly trying to figure out explanations for everything. Cloud watched him with curious eyes and decided to see what his son was really made out of.   
  
"Hey Zell. Come here," Cloud called and motioned him to come over. Zell gave him a questioned look but did not ask him what for. He simply walked over at his father's request. He was startled though when he came close enough to see a fist flying straight towards his face. Out of reflex, he did a backwards handspring to dodge the flying fist.   
  
"Ha! You do have the reflexes of your mother," Cloud said triumphantly. "Whoever taught you taught you good. Too bad you couldn't have your mother teach you though."   
  
"Why do you say that?" Zell asked and proceeded to walk over again.  
  
"She's one of the best martial artists you'll see out there. Man, this fight is going to be difficult. I don't have a decent weapon."  
  
"I'm pretty sure we can get you something. Maybe Squall has an extra gunblade for you to use," Zell suggested.  
  
"A gunblade? Never heard of one of those. I wish I had my Buster sword right now. Man how I miss that thing," Cloud thought to himself about the old days from when he was in Shinra and thoughts of Sephiroth and Zack. Now they all seemed like an illusion or a storybook.   
  
"Cid says there's an extra room where you two can stay in for a few nights. It has supplies in it to fix up your wound too. I want to make a meeting sometime tonight or tomorrow to discuss what our battle plan for this thing is going to be." Squall entered the room and ton of information came rolling off his tongue.  
  
"Yes sir," Cloud grinned at Squall. Squall's attitude obviously meant that he must've been the one that told everybody what to do.   
  
"Cloud," Tifa elbowed him in the side for his rude come back. "Let's just go, okay?"   
  
"Follow me," Squall ordered and started walking down the dark hall filled with the dorms. The two followed quietly as reality started to pain them. Tifa lowered her head and watched the unfamiliar ground pass by her feet. They walked passed numbered doors that were the homes of many students.   
  
"Just keep going down this hall and take a right. There will be a door with the number 315 on it. The door should be open so just walk in. I'll send Zell down some time to tell you what's going on," Squall informed them before walking off.   
  
"I'm really beginning not to like that guy," Cloud said quietly enough so Squall could not hear. Tifa lowered her eyebrows to him in disappointment.   
  
"Sorry, just forget it. Let's go get some rest." Cloud put his arm around Tifa's waist as they made their way to their room. As Squall had said, the door was unlocked but the room didn't seem like the most comforting for them.   
  
Cloud stepped into the dark room and ran his hand on the wall searching for the switch for light. It took him a few seconds to finally run across the switch that produced a light that filled the room. Tifa followed in after the light came on and shut the door behind them.   
  
  
"They actually have hotdogs for once!" Zell announced as he sat down at one of the cafeteria tables. He placed his plate of food in front of him and watched the others give him a strange look.   
  
"Anyways, what are we going to do? First of all, you almost died Zell and then when you came back you brought your long lost parents. Second, we have this strange thing chasing after us trying to avenge...Sephiroth?" Quistis started to list their problems.   
  
"This is crazy," Irvine stated as he rested his head in his hands.   
  
"You're telling me," Zell added. "You try having your parents all of a sudden come back to life. The worst part about it is that I can't really say they are or I'll get really bad looks because they're only about 20, somewhere around there. Shit!"  
  
"Don't worry about it. Right now we need to figure out what that thing was." The tone in Selphie's voice was more worried than anything. They all sat in silence pondering their thoughts on this new being.   
  
"There's nothing we can do until we find out more about this thing. Right now, all we know is that it doesn't really exist and that it has an appearance of a wolf when it does show itself," Squall entered and stated the obvious of the situation. "Right now we should all just get some rest and find out what we can tomorrow."  
  
Silence reigned over the group once more. Zell took the last bite out of his hotdog finishing his dinner. Squall immediately left the group with Rinoa clinging onto his side. Quistis was the next to stand and say her goodnights.   
  
"I'll see ya later Irvine, Selphie. I'm going to go catch up a little bit with my parents," Zell chuckled to himself and walked out of the room. The dormitory wasn't that far off but at the rate he was walking it would take him an hour to make it to the room.   
  
'This is too weird,' Zell thought to himself. 'I haven't seen them for most my life. What am I supposed to say? What am I supposed to do?' He picked up his pace and placed his hands in his pockets.  
  
"I don't even know where I'm going..." Zell thought aloud. He threw his arms up in the air in aggravation. He stuffed his hands back in his pockets and growled to himself. The rooms were oblivious to him as he continued his way mindlessly down the hall. His attention was quickly caught when he saw a woman run out of her room.   
  
"Zell! Cloud, he just passed out!" Tifa wailed as she tried to get his attention. Zell's head popped up and he ran quickly to where Tifa came running out.   
  
"What do you mean?" Zell asked as he looked down at the worried Tifa.  
  
"He just passed out! I don't know why. He was sitting there talking to me and then he fell unconscious." Tifa's eyes weren't filled with tears but shock and fear. Zell ran through the open door into the room where the two were staying. Cloud was lying on the bed with his arms hanging over the side limp.   
  
Zell immediately ran into the room silent and placed his arms around Cloud in a precise position so he could lift him up on his back easily. Tifa watched Zell and noticed how much his features were so similar to his father. His hair spiked even if it wasn't the exact same way. His lightning blue eyes pierced through your soul as if quenching for your blood. For some odd reason, Tifa fell instantly in love with Cloud's eyes. She was glad that Zell had the eyes of his father, even if he wasn't exposed to mako.   
  
Cloud hung loosely on Zell's back looking like he was in a deep sleep. Thoughts flew through Zell's mind like a falcon in the air. 'This man is my REAL father! How bizarre is that? I thought that other man was, gosh. I've got some real questions goin' for mother after this is through.' His legs carried him swiftly through the halls of the dormitory and into the main hall. He found himself upon the nurse's office quicker than he had expected to and almost ran by it.   
  
"We need help here!" Zell screamed out as he continued to run. He took another step and started to feel a sudden drain of energy sweep through him. His legs collapsed from underneath him and fell to the ground hitting his chin on the hard tile. He saw Cloud land to the side of him sprawled across the ground. That was the last he remembered before his world also went black.   
  
************************************************************************  
  
Zell squinted his eyes open as rays of light peeped between his eyelids. A great pounding pain in his head threw any realistic thoughts away.   
  
"Where the hell am I?" Zell's voice sounded faint but still loud enough to hear.   
  
"Don't worry right now. Just rest. Dr. Kadowki says you took a pretty hard fall," Tifa smiled down to Zell.   
  
"They should be out of bed by the end of today, but they are going to have to take it easy for a couple of days. I don't know what made Cloud pass out, but I have a feeling that it had to do with that dog bite on his arm," Dr. Kadowki advised just like any good doctor would.   
  
"You make me sound like a damn animal," Cloud's muffled voice came from underneath the pillow. He was lying on his stomach with his head buried under the pillow in the bed next to Tifa.   
  
"She doesn't mean it Cloud." Tifa smiled down at him and noticed one of his eyes peaking out from under the pillow. She placed her hand on his back and rubbed gently to try and settle him down.   
  
"Well, actually Zell can leave if he really wants to, but Cloud needs to stay for a few more tests," Dr. Kadowki commented and walked over to Cloud.   
  
"Oh no," Cloud's voice was still barely understandable but Tifa giggled at his not so optimistic attitude.   
  
"I'm going to get Zell out of here and maybe start to figure out what this thing is. I'll be back for you tonight, okay?" Tifa's voice pierced through Cloud at the thought of her leaving him here with that Dr. Kadowki. Cloud groaned in response and pulled the pillow tighter over his head. "Don't worry Cloud, I still love you!"  
  
Zell sat up in his bed and tried to shake the pain out of his head. He turned his head over to Tifa and watched her try to pry the pillow off of Cloud's head. From all of her attempts, the pillow still stayed over his head.   
  
"Fine then, be a brat. Come on Zell, we've got to go see the others." Tifa stood up quickly and started to head out the door. Zell threw his feet over the side of the bed and stood up carefully trying to keep his balance. His shoes slipped on easily and he was able to walk out of the room carelessly for the most part.  
  
Zell was about to walk out the door when he felt a strange wind breeze by him. He stopped instantly already knowing what the outcome was going to be.   
  
"Zell?" Tifa asked as she turned to see his puzzled face.   
  
"It's here," Zell whispered and still stayed frozen as if the slightest movement would provoke this demon to attack. He heard a low growling noise behind his back. He dared not to look back as it was quite possibly death that was beckoning him behind him.   
  
"Shit! Don't move Zell!" Tifa exclaimed in one of her rare moments to cuss. "It's right behind you!" Fear now was written all over Zell's face as he felt the hot breath of the demon on his lower legs.   
  
'You're the son of that murderer,' a voice popped up into Zell's head.   
  
"What the hell?" Zell exclaimed after hearing the strange voice.   
  
'You are. If I killed you now then there would be no pleasure in seeing you suffer. Enjoy your short lived life, for you may be the only one permitted to live.' The words echoed through Zell's head leaving emptiness and made him feel like a child again.   
  
Tifa tried to approach the creature but saw it leap towards her making her duck in reflex. She covered her head as she was down on her knees trying to protect herself from any danger. She felt the breeze sweep over her, which made her look up immediately. The wolf figure ran a few feet away before disappearing into the air once again.   
  
"It's going to hunt us down one by one until we're all dead," Zell's voice showed only fear. His face was a ghost white and sweat trickled down the side of his face. "It's not a physical being which means no matter what you do to it, it will still live. And it will continue its hunt."  
  
"What the...No, there has to be something we can do! Lifestream would not bring us all back to life unless there was a purpose for us!" Tifa protested. Tears of fear and disappointment choked up her voice. Her hand rose up to her face to hide her emotions from her son.  
  
"Tifa!" Dr. Kadowki called from the other room. Tifa's ears caught the worry in the Dr.'s voice, which made her run to the room quickly. The site that she saw when she entered made her gasp for air. Her world felt as if it had fallen in around her and crushed her to the point that there was no light, no air...no hope.   
  
"Cloud!" her tears spilled over the brims as she ran over to the bed and collapsed on it. Cloud was gasping for air from the large gashes that ripped across his chest. Zell's daze of shock wore off quickly and he ran back into the Dr's room. A dark maroon substance covered Cloud and was forming a small pool on the ground.   
  
Tifa's eyes burned of rage. Cloud's breathing began to slow down and the raising of his chest was beginning to become rare.   
  
"Cloud, don't leave me. Cloud..." Tifa's pleads couldn't help the man's fate. She caressed his face with her hand and saw the pain in his eyes.   
  
"I promise Tifa...I...will see you again..." Cloud's words vanished away just as his last breath passed.   
  
"Cloud. No Cloud, this isn't happening," Tifa was devastated as she saw Cloud's body become cold and limp. "Why can't I live a normal life?!" Tifa screamed out as she stood up. "All I wanted was to live and have a family! Is that too much to ask?"  
  
Zell watched his mother go into hysterics around the room before collapsing on her knees and sobbing into her hands. He went quickly to Tifa's side to try and calm her down.   
  
"It's not fair...it's not fair," Tifa felt two arms wrap around her and she continued to cry into Zell. "Why...? Why can't I just live a normal life...why?" Her words hurt Zell and to see her crying endlessly made his own heart drop.   
  
"All we can do now is live and hope for another day..." Zell's lips softly pronounced the words that seemed so true but yet feared by them all at the same time.   
  
************************************************************************  
  
A year passed by and nothing seemed to disturb the group in any way. Selphie and Irvine did go out a few times and also broke up numerous times. Tifa lived her life with Zell mostly because she didn't want to live on her own and she also didn't have anywhere to go. She soon had to take to being his sister rather than mother in the public. Seeing a 20 year old claiming to be a mother to an 18 year old did seem rather bizarre to some.   
  
"A whole year," Tifa stated out loud while she and Zell sat at the table. She was sipping on a cup of tea while Zell looked blankly down at the table.   
  
"I know. I wonder what it's waiting for," Zell spoke quietly in fear. The voice from that day still haunted him in his dreams and thoughts. Silence found itself over the two once again as they both dazed off into oblivion. The front door came crashing open quickly interrupting any thoughts of sanity that they were thinking.   
  
"Selphie!" Zell exclaimed as he saw her run in the room. Her eyes were full of fear and tears were streaming her face.  
  
"Irvine is such a bastard!" she squealed as she sat down on the couch.   
  
"What did he do this time?" Zell asked knowing that he must've dumped her, again.   
  
"He jumped right in the way. I told him not to, but he did," Selphie's explanation was crowded with sobs.  
  
"Jumped in the way of what?" Tifa asked as she walked over the couch where Selphie had made herself a seat.   
  
"That demon..." Zell's heart started to pound rapidly as he heard her words growl out the devilish name.   
  
"I think this is it," Zell's voice dropped into a low tone as the truth hit them all.   
  
"Zell? What do you mean?" Selphie asked while trying to sniffle up her tears.   
  
"It was waiting until we had almost forgotten about it, and then attack when we least expect it."   
  
"Good. I hope that thing makes it quick, I miss Cloud so much," Tifa's voice began to sound weary.   
  
"If that's how you like it..." the familiar growling came from the corner of the room. Tifa's head turned to where the voice was coming from quickly.  
  
"What are you? And why are you doing this?" Tifa scowled. The wolf stepped carefully out of the shadows with the hairs on its back raised in anger.   
  
"For what you did to Sephiroth. For what you did to me!" The wolf leapt out at the three with no intention to hurt them yet. Its eyes glowed an emerald green from obvious mako poisoning in it. The wolf's body began to shift into a more human like figure. Its paws turned into hands with black gloves on them and his back legs turned into the streamlined legs of an old foe. The ears were laid back and became the small ears of a human. The hair from the wolf grew longer and turned more silver to reveal the smirk of an enemy.  
  
"Sephiroth!" Tifa exclaimed looking into the familiar green eyes.   
  
"You finally got the idea. You also did indeed kill me back then. Until I had my vengeance on Cloud, my soul would forever wander around this world. The question was, how was I supposed to defeat Cloud if I wasn't a physical body? Well, I watched your lives grow and during the adventures of your child here, I started to find ideas on how I could deceive Lifestream to give me some physical power. It worked quite well, I over threw Lifestream and was then just waiting for the perfect opportunity to resurrect him," Sephiroth's voice and words were being emitted from the wolf.   
  
"You just can't lose. Aeris will cast Holy on you and destroy you once and for all!" Tifa threatened.   
  
"I don't think so. I AM dead. I just want to wreak havoc on the world again just as you want to live a normal life. Holy can't do anything to me, and you can't do anything to save your planet. I am the ultimate being! I am the legend! I am Sephiroth!"  
  
"Good always conquers over evil! There is no way that you will be able to get away with this...we will stop you. Maybe not during this life, but someday your life will be only a legend in a story book." Tifa's words amused the demon that claimed to be the alete warrior.   
  
"Oh really? I don't think so. I have powers beyond your imagination." Sephiroth put out his hand in front of him. Tifa's anger and rage was written all over her face and at that moment, she didn't care what happened to her or anybody.  
  
"You ruined my life. You killed my father, and my husband. There is no way that I can ever forgive you or let you get away unpunished," Tifa growled between her teeth. The smirk that went across the Sephiroth's face was a sure sign that she would be able to meet up with Cloud soon, she knew it.   
  
Tifa began to feel a great pressure feeling her chest as if it was trying to pull her apart. The pressure grew intensely making her cry out in pain. Her feet soon left the ground as Sephiroth's hand was lifted slightly higher.   
  
"I can end your life right now," Sephiroth threatened in a calm voice.  
  
"Then do it," Tifa spat back.  
  
"No!" Zell interrupted the argument.  
  
"Zell! Get away from here! You don't know what you're up against," Tifa warned between her teeth, which bore pain.   
  
"No! We're all going to die anyways, so I might as well die right now by your side!"   
  
"Zell! You can't mean that? We can find a way to beat him!" Selphie protested out of emotion instead of truth.   
  
"He has unlimited power, and we can't touch him with any magic or any physical power either," Zell's words only spoke truth.  
  
"You've got yourself a smart lad there Tifa," Sephiroth smirked. The words that Zell spoke were so much like his father's. "But that won't save either of you."  
  
Tifa felt a burning sensation flow through her entire body. Sephiroth's hand opened for a minute before shutting again to indicate Tifa's soul leaving her body. Her body now fell limp in the air and was dropped to the ground.   
  
"...Mother," Zell looked back and saw her lying on the ground. "All she wanted to do was live and you had to take that away from her." Zell's magnetic blue gaze met with Sephiroth's electric green eyes.   
  
"For an ultimate being you sure can shake a lot," Zell mused as he watched Sephiroth's hand shake in the air. Sephiroth took his hand back quickly and shoved it to the side. He scowled strange words in the air before clasping onto his masamune.   
  
"Brat, any last words?" Sephiroth asked as he clenched his sword into his hands and posed for striking.   
  
"I hope you burn in hell." Zell waited for his head to be lobbed off of his body but was surprised when he only had to endure the blade cut across his face on his right eye. He fell to the ground watching the sticky red substance being emitted from the wound. He tried to get back to his feet when he felt a boot kick him in the side.   
  
"I think it's time that you learned to respect your authorities!" Sephiroth's angry voice rang throughout room. Zell felt another blow into his side making him land up against the far wall.   
  
"Why do I feel so drained of energy...?" Zell asked as he again tried to crawl onto his feet.  
  
'Zell, can you hear me?' the familiar voice of his father echoed through his head.   
  
"Dad!" Zell cried out hoping that somehow he would be standing next to him ready to fight.   
  
'Zell, there's no way that we can possibly beat him unless we destroy the very planet that he is on.'  
  
"What? But..."  
  
"Talking to yourself, are we?" Sephiroth asked as he walked over to Zell.   
  
'I know I know. If we let him live then he will destroy everybody anyways. You might as well kill him for good. The only problem is that we ourselves don't have nearly enough power to generate a blast big enough.'  
  
"So what are you saying we should do?" Zell asked aloud.   
  
'We'll make him destroy himself. I'm going to give you a lending hand during this and so will Lifestream. You've got to trust me on this one son. And you are MY son and not that lame excuse Johnny's son.'   
  
"You're hopeless and weak. Stand up fool and face me if you're really that wretched failure's son," Sephiroth threatened. A look of determination spread across Zell's face as he regained his balance on his feet and looked at the true murderer.   
  
"All right then. If you really want to die, then let's do it!" Zell exclaimed and rushed towards Sephiroth full force.   
  
"That's more like it!" Sephiroth pulled up his blade ready to strike his victim. Zell charged Sephiroth and saw the blade come down onto him but caught it in his hand. Sephiroth's face was shocked at the powers this boy held within him. Strength had suddenly pulsated through Zell and he tightened his fist knocking it into Sephiroth's face.   
  
Sephiroth fell back from the attack and wiped the blood away from his lip. He looked back at his opponent and the site made the hair on his back stand up. He saw Zell standing with Cloud behind him giving him extra power.   
  
"You will now be punished for everything that you've done. It's shameful to see what you've done to the planet and to its people," Cloud's words escaped through Zell's mouth. "Now you will pay."   
  
"Never! I will defeat you!" Sephiroth's rage was evident as his energy swirled around his body. "Cloud! I'll make sure your soul will spend eternity in Hell!"  
  
Zell stood his ground as small green strands of energy flowed around his body increasing his strength to unimaginable depths. Cloud lent his energy to Zell ready for the blow that would destroy the entire world. Sephiroth stood his ground as he tried to summon enough power to make at least half of what Zell was able to produce with Lifestream at his side.   
  
"This is the end for you Sephiroth!" Zell yelled out in rage as he charged him. A low rumbling was produced from the two energies rushing towards each other before a dead silence overcame the entire planet. Light filled the planet quickly blinding everything becoming as large as half the planet within seconds. Then the blast hit destroying the world in less than five seconds.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Zell was floating in a green abyss with nowhere to go, nothing that could be possibly done. His thoughts drowned him in this strange place.   
  
'Mom. Dad. I saved the world by destroying it. What am I supposed to do now? Everything is gone. I have nothing left to offer...it's all my fault.'  
  
'Zell! Stop thinking like that! Lifestream has you trapped right now; it's tearing your thoughts apart and replacing it with its own memories. Think of the people you love and hold close to you. Think of your friends, the adventures you had. Come on Zell," the familiar voice echoed in the green emptiness.  
  
"But Dad, what if I could have stopped him without destroying the planet? I could have done things differently. I should have let him live so the other people on the world could enjoy a few last days together...I should..."  
  
"Stop it! You did what you had to do! Everybody would have died and if some did live, they would have lived in horror and fear, running from something that didn't exist. You did the right thing son, and I want you to come home."   
  
"But..."  
  
"Please. Leave all your doubts behind and come home where you belong. We need you Zell. Your mother and I both want to see your smiling face again."   
  
"I'm lost. I don't know what to do," Zell's voice drifted off as he felt his body being lifted. He closed his eyes hoping that the place where he would end up would be promising.   
  
"Zell, you don't have to be lost," a soft voice said from behind him. Zell opened his eyes and noticed a forest around him with no trail running through it. Small rays of light shot through the canopy and dried the cool ground.   
  
"Where am I supposed to go though?" Zell asked in a small voice. Tifa smiled as she approached Zell from behind.   
  
"Where do you think you're supposed to go?" Tifa asked back. Zell turned his head towards Tifa and looked down at her.   
  
"I don't know. I barely remember past and my adventures seem like a blur to me."  
  
"Come on Zell. Your friends and your family are waiting for you to get things together. After that blow with Lifestream, it blew your mind away. Ignore the things that you remember and try to listen to your heart about what's right."  
  
"Mom, where's Dad?" Zell asked as he looked into his mother's eyes.   
  
"Come with me. I'll take you there," Tifa smiled to Zell and took his hand in hers. Tifa guided him through the trees helping him through his journey through his mind to find the people who he loved just like she had many years ago.  
  
The End  
  
  
Author's Note: That's it. There's no more. The world is blown up and everybody is dead. Nice ending, eh? Lol, I didn't actually think it was going to end like that but it did. Well, that is the last of the series. I was thinking of a way to put Zell and Selphie together but then I decided against it because there really is no realistic way to get those two together (even if Irvine is VERY immature. I still love you Irvine don't worry!) Hopefully I can put them all together and I am making a new and improved website JUST for my series! Which reminds me,   
  
I NEED FANFICTION AND FANART!! IF ANYBODY HAS ANY PLLLEEEEEEAAAAAASSSSEEEEE SEND IT TO ME! I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL! AND I WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE CREDIT FOR YOUR STORY/ART!!  
  
Okay, that's all I've got to say. Thanks a bunch and I hope you enjoyed my story!  



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